FETC 2026 returned to Orlando this January, and the conference didn’t disappoint. New York EdTech Director Alana Winnick and her students opened the conference with an inspiring keynote, setting a student-centered tone that resonated through every session and across the Expo floor.

Below is a snapshot of the innovations on display, featuring advancements in AI and VR, personalized curricula, EDLA-certified interactive displays, and more. These are not reviews or endorsements, but a showcase of education-friendly items, platforms, and more that we think might be noteworthy for you.

BenQ | RP05 Interactive Display

The new AI-ready RP05 Interactive Display joins the RP04, delivering smarter and faster performance and intuitive tools to support interactive teaching. The EDLA-certified RP Series makes it easy to build dynamic lessons with responsive touch, whiteboarding, multi-window views, and app integration.

Luxor CellGuard | Cell Phone Storage Cabinet

The Luxor CellGuard Cell Phone Storage Cabinet is engineered to meet the rigorous demands of modern classrooms. Constructed from powder-coated steel, it includes 32 foam, numbered slots to securely cradle devices. Designed with a locking steel door and a clear acrylic window, CellGuard offers full visibility for easy monitoring and a Kensington lock receptacle for enhanced security.

ClassDojo For Districts | New Expanded Features

ClassDojo for Districts offers new capabilities that give K–12 leaders greater visibility and insight across schools—without changing how teachers and families already use the platform. These updates strengthen districtwide coordination and communication while keeping teacher-family relationships at the heart of ClassDojo. The expanded platform introduces powerful district-level capabilities in three core areas—visibility, communication, and insights—with even more features and enhancements rolling out in the months ahead.

ClassVR | ClassVR Xcelerate and EduverseCTE

ClassVR Xcelerate and EduverseCTE are virtual and augmented reality (AR/VR) solutions for high school, higher ed, and career and technical education (CTE) programs. The ClassVR Xcelerate headset provides a full range of spatial movement through six-degrees-of-freedom head and controller tracking. An innovative 90° flip visor enables seamless transitions between immersive learning and real-world collaboration. The headset comes with EduverseCTE, ClassVR’s library of curriculum-aligned VR/AR content that helps students develop both soft skills, and technical abilities. Through realistic simulations, students can practice teamwork, communication, and interview techniques and explore high-demand fields such as healthcare, construction, hospitality, and skilled trades.

CTL | CTL Chromebook Care Course

The CTL Chromebook Care Course for students is a comprehensive, Career and Technical Education (CTE)-focused program designed to train middle and high school students to become CTL-certified Chromebook repair technicians. The course, offered free to CTL customers and focusing on CTL-manufactured devices, addresses growing demands for skilled IT professionals while promoting technology sustainability within school districts. The CTL Chromebook Care Course is tailored for students in grades 8–12, establishing a structured, student technical support team.

Day of AI | AI Trivia Time

AI Trivia Time is a regular classroom game designed to turn AI literacy into a habit students enjoy and teachers can naturally fit into their day. AI Trivia Time is a brain break with a purpose. Whether used as a warm-up, an exit ticket, a mini-lesson, or a fun Friday ritual, teachers and students can dive into a regular series of short, five-question, AI-themed quizzes designed to spark discussion and reflection on what responsible AI use looks like in practice. The game works across grade levels, subjects, and schedules.

Discovery Education | K-5 Science Techbook & K–5 Social Studies Essentials

Science Techbook and Social Studies Essentials blend research-backed pedagogy with cutting-edge technology and are complemented by updates across AI-driven personalization, career-connected learning, and more. Science Techbook builds skills while delivering three‑dimensional, phenomena‑driven lessons that capture student interest and reinforce scientific and cross-disciplinary learning. Social Studies Essentials is an inquiry-based supplemental solution grounded in the C3 Framework, making it easy for teachers to deliver impactful lessons in history, civics, geography, and economics.

ExtronNAV E 222 USB-C and HDMI switching encoder

Adding USB-C input capability and input switching to the NAV Pro AV over IP Series platform, this new Encoder provides options to create high-performance streaming systems. Input switching modes are configurable as auto or manual. The encoder can power a USB-C device with up to 100 watts using the optional UPI 100 Power Inserter. The NAV E 222 supports the AES67 audio over IP standard, facilitating integration with Extron DMP Plus DSPs or other IP-enabled audio components.

Imagine Learning | StudySync 2027 Edition

The 2027 edition of StudySync features a restructured middle school sequence built around deeper knowledge-building themes as well as stronger fluency, vocabulary, and sentence composition scaffolds grounded in the science of reading. Educators seeking comprehensive, standards-aligned solutions can now pair StudySync (6–12) with Dragonfly (K–5).

Ingenuity Works | All The Right Type

All The Right Type prepares students for a world where keyboard skills are crucial. The online typing platform is self-paced and requires minimal teacher instruction time, making it easy to integrate into any classroom or homeschool setting. With engaging lessons and interactive challenges, students build speed and accuracy at their own pace.

LG | CreateBoard TR3DQ

Building on the success of LG’s TR3DK generation of CreateBoard solutions, the TR3DQ display, available immediately in 55-, 65-, 75- and 86-inch models, is engineered to enhance classroom engagement, collaboration and instructional flexibility. As the newest addition to LG’s expanding CreateBoard lineup – designed to support schools across a wide range of needs and budgets – the TR3DQ delivers meaningful improvements in processing speed, touch and writing responsiveness, audio clarity and ecosystem integration to support modern K-12 and higher-education environments.

Logitech | MX Ink

MX Ink is the first Mixed Reality (MR) stylus specifically designed for Meta Quest. A precision tool with a familiar pen-like feel, MX Ink allows users to navigate, annotate and create freely across 2D spaces like papers, desks, or whiteboards, as well as immersive 3D environments. The pressure-sensitive tip of MX Ink enables natural writing and gaming motions, merging the tactile sensation of a physical tool with the limitless possibilities of the virtual creative space.

McGraw Hill | Summit! and Soar!

McGraw Hill's new core ELA curriculum for 6th through 12th grades includes Summit! for grades 6-8 and Soar! for grades 9-12. Built on the previously announced Emerge! for K-5, these establish a comprehensive research-based literacy program. Both use data-driven personalization to help educators tailor instruction throughout the learning journey.

OWC | 8TB Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD

The new 8TB OWC Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD delivers unparalleled speed, versatility, and portability for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Its features/benefits include: more than 6000MB/s, making it up to 2x faster than Thunderbolt 4 and USB4; offers the most speed possible from Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 machines; easily handles daily data needs for pro-level creative projects while matching internal storage performance; works with Macs, PCs, iPad Pros, Chromebooks, and Surface devices; bus-powered with built-in Thunderbolt cable; fanless, heat-dissipating aluminum design that is crushproof, dustproof, and waterproof IP67 rated.

PBLWorks | PBL Teach project units for middle and high school

PBLWorks has added new Gold Standard Project Based Learning (PBL) units for high school and elementary school grades. The new TEACH units for elementary and high school include projects such as “Pitch Perfect” for fourth and fifth grade social studies in which students become entrepreneurs, creating business ideas that solve real problems in their communities. “Family Financials” is a 9th and 10th grade math project in which students model savings and investment plans for community members using linear and exponential functions. Each project includes lessons with clear outlines and in-depth, step-by-step instructions and resources to help even novice teachers execute the projects with ease.

SchoolAI | AI Isn't Replacing Thinking

To understand how teachers are actually using AI in their instruction, this study examined more than 23,000 SchoolAI Spaces created during the 2024–25 school year across ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. In SchoolAI Spaces, teachers, not the AI, design the learning experience. They supply the description and prompts that guide how Dot, the AI assistant, engages with students. This makes Spaces a unique window into how educators are choosing to integrate AI into real instructional practice.

SCIVR | Immersive Learning Platform

SCIVR showcased their virtual reality all-in-one immersive platform for Middle & High School STEM and Career Technical Education programs. SCIVR's Immersive Learning Platform includes interactive simulations for science, math, CTE, social studies, all offered in multiple languages. SCIVR works with Meta Quest or Pico VR headsets and offers hardware-agnostic Web-based devices all under one site license, allowing unlimited users and devices.

Smore and School Status | Human Connection in the Age of AI: A Guide to K–12 Communications

Human Connection in the Age of AI, a free ebook, provides strategies for implementing communication practices that build community, including: Steps to support district, school, and classroom-level communication; examples for newsletters that bring families into school life; strategies for embedding dialogue into messages; and insights on using AI to support accessibility and translation without losing the human voice.

Socrait

Socrait was named the winner of FETC's Pitchfest 2.0, the innovative gamified startup competition that put voting power directly into the hands of K-12 educators and technology leaders attending the Future of Education Technology Conference. Final results were determined using a 50% audience vote / 50% judge score model. When normalized and equally weighted, Socrait achieved the highest overall combined score, outperforming all other finalists. Socrait demonstrated the best overall balance of audience appeal and expert evaluation, ranking second with both audience voters and the judge panel.

Studient | Motivention

Motivention by Studient utilizes the AIM Blueprint to help students in the bottom quartile accelerate their progress and build confidence. The motivation science framework helps design an individualized path for growth, integrating motivation science to rebuild students’ sense of belief, effort and momentum through structured recognition, peer connection and personal purpose.

Telycam | Mix One

Mix One is an all-in-one video production solution designed to expand and elevate the Telycam PTZ ecosystem. Purpose-built for PTZ-centric workflows, Mix One combines an encoder, decoder, monitor, video switcher, and PTZ controller within a single, compact unit – giving creators a powerful yet intuitive tool for live streaming, podcasting, and professional content production. Built on industry standards and modern AV-over-IP architecture, Mix One offers an elegant, scalable alternative to traditional hardware-heavy production setups.

ViewSonic

At this year's FETC conference, ViewSonic spotlighted the ViewSonic education software suite: a complete ecosystem that brings together myViewBoard for interactive lessons, AirSync for versatile wireless screensharing, and ClassSwift for instant, on-the-fly assessment. Together, these tools create a seamless platform for teaching, collaboration, and engagement, helping educators save time, personalize learning, and keep students actively engaged.

• Edtech Show & Tell

It’s the most wonderful time of the year - edtech conference season! So, what better way to start the year than with a trip to the Big Easy? Known for its music, nightlife, beignets, and Bourbon Street, New Orleans will soon be known for FETC 2023. With its theme of “Innovate, Imperative Learning for the Future,” attendees will experience how innovation and creativity can result in digital transformations in our classrooms and schools. 

Keynote Speakers 

FETC's mission to deliver strategies and best practices for student success and schoolwide advancement is evident in its packed four-day conference. Attendees will be lining up early on Tuesday and Wednesday to hear from the much-anticipated world-renowned keynote speakers Daniel Burrus and Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon. Their thought-provoking messages of digital transformation in edtech and inclusivity for future leaders will resonate with the audience as we move into a new era of digital learning.   

Session Tracks 

Introduced a few years ago, session tracks will allow attendees to collaborate in role-specific sessions. Attendees would be hard-pressed not to find like-minded colleagues with the five tailored edtech tracks: Administrator, Information Technology, Educator, Library Media Specialist, and Coach. 

Featured presenters that promise to deliver solutions and strategies that address current and future edtech challenges include: 

- “Tools Administrators Use to Support Transition from Classroom Consumers to Creators,” presented by Greg Bagby 

- “Creating Your IT Culture Around the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” with Diane Doersch and Dr. Monica Burns 

- “20 Tips to Transform Assessment and Take Action.” 

Some of my not-to-be-missed sessions are the coach sessions with Mario and Alberto Herraez-Velazquez and library media specialist sessions with Lauren Mobley.   

Expo Hall 

From live educator presentations, interactive demonstrations, swag to bring home to colleagues, and the famous FETC coffee mug, the Expo is the place to be between workshops, sessions, summits, and sponsored events. This expansive space of solution providers from over eleven different countries is an ideal opportunity for educators and administrators to share their challenges and successes and find ways to partner with educators and administrators. 

Theaters

Also located in the Expo are six innovative, content-focused theaters set up for the conference: Information Technology, Technology Discovery, Thought Leader, Esports, STEM, and Pitchfest. 

Theaters such as Information Technology and Technology Discovery will focus on edtech trends and the newest technology for school districts. At the same time, the Thought Leader provides strategies for administrators on well-being, policy, and school management. 

Two of the most well-attended theaters are Esports and STEM. These hands-on events focusing on student agency and engagement will show strategies for implementing them in classrooms and districts. 

Finally, if you want to see what young innovative startups are disrupting edtech for future generations of students, make sure you hit the all-new Pitchfest theater and the Startup Pavilion. After many years of attending FETC, this event has always been at the top of my list. Some of our leading edtech solution providers have gotten their big break at this FETC event.  

Tech Share Live 

While there is so much more to experience at FETC 2023, I would be remiss if I did not highlight the FETC fan-favorite, Tech Share Live. Known as the gurus of edtech, Adam Bellows, Leslie Fisher, Hall Davison, and Kathy Schrock engage their audience with song and humor as they highlight edtech innovations. Its unique, fast-paced session gives attendees a first look at the latest, most exciting gadgets, apps, hardware, and pedagogical strategies. AI, game-based learning, robotics, inclusivity tools, online learning, video editing, literacy, and AR/VR/XR. 

While I will miss packing my flip-flops for Orlando, I am excited to experience FETC in NOLA. Having been to the ISTE Live 2022 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, attendees will enjoy the large session rooms, food courts, and power stations galore. But, most importantly, this venue is where we will all reconnect with each other and leave with renewed energy and a stomach full of New Orleans beignets and Cajun gumbo.

The Future of Education Technology Conference® (FETC®), a collaborative exploration of new education technologies, best practices and pressing issues, today announced the four-day conference, kicking off on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 will adopt a no-cost, virtual model. The fully digital format will give educators and technology leaders access to live-streamed sessions, daily keynotes, Q&As, AI-based networking, exhibits of new technologies and more. 

“No one could have predicted the current changes in education," said Jennifer Womble, FETC Program Chair. "The pandemic has demonstrated that the most important thing we can do for administration and educators is provide high quality professional development and community support. FETC is proud to offer engaging educational technology content digging into the most pressing issues from access and equity to change management, cybersecurity, digital literacy, and distance learning at a time when districts need it most.” 

The fully interactive, free FETC virtual experience will use state-of-the-art technology to ensure attendees are able to explore and network with other participants, speakers, and solution providers. Attendees will be able to take part in live Q&A, one-on-one meetings, join group chats, visit booths, and more. The 2021 agenda will cover key current topics and include roundtables, product demonstrations, and solution provider sessions. Additional details will be released in the upcoming weeks. 

To register for free visit www.FETC.org.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you already know that I attended the FETC 2020 Conference in Miami. This trip was my fifth time at this event and third as a featured speaker. In between leading workshops and sessions, I was able to get down to the Expo Hall and learn about some new edtech tools. A few of these companies were totally new to me, and several were part of the Startup Pavilion. If there is a new edtech tool that has you excited, share with me on social and tag @classtechtips.

The first on the list is Matatalab, a coding kit for kids that I had the chance to see in action. It provides a hands-on opportunity for students to explore coding principles. The coding set gives students access to a mat and pieces to move into a pattern.I tried out Matatalab’s coding kit and was very impressed. They also have a musical component that you might want to explore, too. 

Little Genius Starter Kit

I’m a big fan of Osmo and have seen their apps and tools in action in classrooms across the country. I spent some time on the show floor exploring their “new to me” Little Genius Starter Kit, which includes four different options, including skill-building practice with storytelling and letter recognition. 

If you’re looking for a new way for students to prepare for the ACT or SAT exams, you’ll want to check out Prepmedians. This website is full of engaging, sketch comedy-inspired videos to help students get ready to take these exams. Full disclosure—I’ve met their enthusiastic founder before and went to high school with his brother, but didn’t know about this awesome endeavor until I came across it on the list of startups at this year’s pavilion. 

Interactive Reading Library

Kidint is all about storytelling. It gives users access to hundreds of books and encourages reading together as a family. It works on a variety of devices and lets new users try it out for free for a full month. I like how families can set up profiles for their children and how it awards badges, too. This tool grabbed my attention because I’m always looking for apps and websites that promote joint media engagement.

If you listen to my Easy EdTech Podcast, you know that I love videos and even have an episode all about creating video playlists in the classroom. Well, Vubble is an edtech tool designed to create video feeds for students with high-quality content. They’ve partnered with a bunch of notable folks already, including Pearson and the Canadian Film Centre. This grabbed my attention because video is a powerful way to communicate information, and the more we can make sure this happens in a high-quality way, the better.

Boddle is an interactive math game for students in elementary school. It’s an adaptive learning platform and provides content tailored to the needs of individual students in your class. With standards connections and assessments for a variety of math skills, Boddle is worth checking out. This grabbed my attention because of the combination of differentiated resources and gamified learning for math.

Glose is a reading platform that gives students and teachers access to hundreds of books — for free. Students can customize the reading interface, and teachers can monitor student progress. It creates a social network so students can talk about what they’re reading and connect with others. This edtech tool grabbed my attention because… Glose has both a free and paid version meaning you can jump into this ebook library right away.

Dr. Monica Burns is a former classroom teacher, speaker, and curriculum & edtech consultant. She is the author of Tasks Before Apps (ASCD) and #FormativeTech (Corwin). Visit Monica's site ClassTechTips.com for more ideas on how to become a tech-savvy teacher.

Where do you go when you want to learn about new EdTech tools? From checking out new blog posts (like this one!) to searching hashtags on social media, there are lots of ways to learn about new EdTech tools. When I attend a conference, I also stay on the lookout for companies that have just come on the scene. This way, I can connect with them, ask them questions, and see if their booth is “buzzing” with excitement from other educators, too.

If you follow along on Instagram, then you already know that I spent last week at the FETC Conference in Miami. This trip was my fifth time at this event and third as a featured speaker. In between leading workshops and sessions, I was able to get down to the Expo Hall and learn about some new EdTech tools.

New EdTech Tools

In this blog post, I want to take you through a few new EdTech tools worth exploring this year. A few of these companies were totally new to me, and several were part of the Startup Pavilion. If there is a new EdTech tool that has you excited, share on social and tag @classtechtips.

Coding for Kids

The first on the list is Matatalab, a coding kit for kids that I had the chance to see in action. It provides a hands-on opportunity for students to explore coding principles. The coding set gives students access to a mat and pieces to move into a pattern.

At FETC this year, I tried out Matatalab’s coding kit and was very impressed. They also have a musical component that you might want to explore, too. Above you’ll find a picture I snapped after chatting with one of their team members.

Little Genius Starter Kit

I’m a big fan of Osmo and have seen their apps and tools in action in classrooms across the country. At the FETC conference, I spent some time exploring their “new to me” Little Genius Starter Kit.

The quick video below gives you a sense of what it looks like in action. If this video piques your interest, I definitely encourage you to take a closer look at their website. The Little Genius Starter Kit includes four different options, including skill building practice with storytelling and letter recognition.

FETC Startup Pavilion

One thing I love about walking around the Expo Hall floor is checking out up-and-coming EdTech companies. The Startup Pavilion at FETC was full of new companies and new EdTech tools. I want to spotlight five of the more than a dozen companies and tools featured in the Startup Pavilion this year. I’ll give you a quick overview and share one reason why it grabbed my attention.

Sketch Comedy SAT Videos

If you’re looking for a new way for students to prepare for the ACT or SAT exams, you’ll want to check out Prepmedians. This website is full of engaging, sketch comedy-inspired videos to help students get ready to take these exams. Full disclosure — I’ve met their enthusiastic founder before and went to high school with his brother, but didn’t know about this awesome endeavor until I came across it on the list of startups at this year’s pavilion.

This EdTech tool grabbed my attention because… I love engaging videos that communicate information in a new way, and this definitely fits that description.

Interactive Reading Library

As you can see in the video below, Kidint is all about storytelling. It gives users access to hundreds of books and encourages reading together as a family. It works on a variety of devices and lets new users try it out for free for a full month. I like how families can set up profiles for their children and how it awards badges, too.

This EdTech tool grabbed my attention because… I’m always looking for apps and websites that promote joint media engagement.

Use this link to download my free guide with more reading and writing EdTech tool recommendations.

Video Playlists

If you listen to my Easy EdTech Podcast, you know that I love videos and even have an episode all about creating video playlists in the classroom. Well, Vubble is an EdTech tool designed to create video feeds for students with high-quality content. They’ve partnered with a bunch of notable folks already, including Pearson and the Canadian Film Centre.

This EdTech tool grabbed my attention because… video is a powerful way to communicate information, and the more we can make sure this happens in a high-quality way, the better.

Interactive Math Game for Kids

Boddle is an interactive math game for students in elementary school. It’s an adaptive learning platform and provides content tailored to the needs of individual students in your class. With standards connections and assessments for a variety of math skills, Boddle is worth checking out.

This EdTech tool grabbed my attention because… of the combination of differentiated resources and gamified learning for math.

Digital Reading Platform

Glose is a reading platform that gives students and teachers access to hundreds of books — for free. Students can customize the reading interface, and teachers can monitor student progress. It creates a social network so students can talk about what they’re reading and connect with others. 

This EdTech tool grabbed my attention because… Glose has both a free and paid version meaning you can jump into this ebook library right away.

cross posted at classtechtips.com

Dr. Monica Burns is a former classroom teacher, Speaker, and Curriculum & EdTech Consultant. She is the author of Tasks Before Apps (ASCD) and #FormativeTech (Corwin). Visit Monica's site ClassTechTips.com for more ideas on how to become a tech-savvy teacher.

As I got out of my Lyft at the Miami airport Friday, I realize I am saying goodbye to some great new connections I made. This year’s FETC made a considerable impact on me. My next challenge is how to take all these connections and learning and enhance education in my district as well as grow as a leader. I sat at the airport a little numb. Maybe from all the walking, possibly from carrying around my books for the meet the author table (I need a cart on wheels), perhaps a little sad about just meeting some new connections and now leaving, or just could be too many “complementary” refreshments. My guess is a combination of all. I got the Miami airport and made a video urging everyone to reflect.

However, I began to reflect on the flight home and thought to myself, “what does that mean?” We often give advice and maybe do not know how it will look in real-time. Just like me urging others to “Reflect.” So, I began to reflect on reflection (say that five times fast). I started by remembering a quote from Margaret J. Wheatley “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” My first thought is, “Oh, I want to achieve so much after this event, I better get to reflecting so I can get to the action.”

My next thought is, “How fortunate am I to have had this experience. And how honored to be mentioned in the same lens as educators I look up to on the administrative track.”

My next thought was, “reflection is one skill I did not use early enough in my tenure as a principal.” Now reflection is a skill I use regularly and find it a great benefit. Reflection takes many forms, and I think it is an integral part of education and our growth as leaders. Great leaders/teachers reflect on their practice and tweak their plans, units, interactions, and attitudes. With a profession as challenging as teaching, self-reflection offers leaders and teachers an opportunity to think about what works and what doesn’t in their schools/classrooms. This reflection (well blog to reflect) will be done in one take and probably spelling errors or run-on sentences. For me, reflection is about free flowing thought and not going back to wordsmith or knit pick. I typically don’t share my reflection but wanted to be vulnerable and share and share some reflection strategies.

Self-reflection is about asking yourself thought-provoking questions so that you can develop a deeper level of understanding yourself. New thoughts lead to new emotions and, consequently, to further actions and personal growth. Too often in education, we are so busy that you aren’t even aware of how you’re feeling or take time to take a breath. As we leave Miami or in whatever capacity you are in, take time to reflect on what next steps. I recommend these strategies to support your reflection.

Look in the mirror: I think the first step is to consider looking in the mirror and being honest with yourself. Before you can look deep, you should examine your beliefs and successes or areas of improvement with new ideas from FETC or ideas you launched this year.

If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten: Jessie Potter used this expression in 1981, and I have heard it and used it many times. It is unavoidable, but we all get comfortable with specific strategies and methods. As educational settings evolve and change, we should be willing to update and modify our approach to educating students. As hard as this may be, we must reflect on our approaches and see if it is best practice for the student’s needs.

Write to reflect: I was not someone who liked writing but recently have found this reflective practice provides vital insights and allows for free-flowing thinking that you can look back on overtime.

Use a critical friend: I know I can be biased toward my own strengths and weaknesses, and because of this, it is extremely important I use a critical friend during self-reflection. The best thing about using a trusted colleague is they will give you honest advice and feedback and notice about you that provide insight into who you really are as an educator.

We often ask students to “Think-Pair-Share” but is it just “Pair-Share” how much thinking time do we give. Hence this blog coming out five days after landing in Boston. I wanted time to think before I shared it.

My biggest take away from #FETC is we are #BETTERTOGETHER. There is NO magic potion to change education, not a quick fix or program. It is impactful educators. I met so many and learned from their stories, and I hope they were able to take from mine.

Think about some of the recent movie blockbusters like The Avengers, Justice League, and X-Men. Yes, these are fictional characters, but what do they have in common? They are all stories of individuals combining their talents to achieve a common goal. Collaboration produces victory in the world of blockbuster movies and can help you do the same in education.

Unlike professionals who work in the private sector, educators spend most of the day with children in classrooms or with other adults as school/district leaders. How do we prioritize finding ways for educators to work together when it’s hard for them to find even a few minutes to use the bathroom. My biggest take away from #FETC is continuing to stay connected and learn from others. One of my best sessions was turning the floor over to Jeni Long (@jlo731) and Sallee Clark (@SalleeClark), two EdTech Coaches, and letting them shine. I learned a ton, and our professional connected deepened. Why not…I shouldn’t do that because my name was on the program, or I am a Doctor and Feature Speaker. Nope, it is about learning, and our session was better because of our collaboration.

I had other reflections takeaways such as:

• Taking risks in teaching and learning and letting your students’ creativity and discovery learning take center stage.
• Upgrading Your PBL Practice: New Support for Project-Based Teaching
• Challenge yourself to be the best you can be.
• Tell your district/school’s story: Branding your learning culture is everyone’s job.
• Be flexible with learning spaces: Students want more than the “sit and get”—they want to be actively involved in their learning.
• Create ongoing projects: The key to projects is to provide plenty of real-world choices that enable students to demonstrate what they are learning.

So as we all head back to our roles and try to prioritize all the learning. Well, unless you are cool enough to head to BETT. FYI, I want to go next year if anyone can hook me up.

Anyway… as we look to implement all our learning, start with reflection. It’s important to take time to reflect before jumping into new ideas or strategies. Three days full of speakers and breakout learning at FETC gave everyone a lot to soak in. Them draft a plan. As tempting as it might be to put things into practice right away, mapping out a plan is often the most effective strategy. Take the learning and make it your own and see how it fits with your district/class. The implementation will not be believable and sustainable if you repeat a speaker’s message, as valuable as it may have been, without making the idea your own.

I am so fortunate to have met or reconnected with so many impactful educators. Either in my session or at events – I am driven to take what I learned, continue to evolve, and put ideas into practice. And of course will remember the fun too…ya Miami is a fun place! See you in Orlando for FETC 21.

cross posted at https://techinnovation.live

Dr. Matthew X. Joseph is currently the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Leicester Public Schools. He has been a school and district leader in many capacities in public education over his 25 years in the field. Experiences such as the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation, elementary school principal, classroom teacher, and district professional development specialist. His work and experience focus on supporting teaching and learning. Follow Dr. Joseph on twitter at @MatthewXJoseph or read his blog techinnovation.live

SMART Technologies showcased its latest lineup of solutions and services at FETC (Future of Education Technology Conference) on January 14-17, 2020 and Bett (the British Educational Training & Technology Show) in London from January 22 – 25, 2020.

Visitors to the technology tradeshows were among the first to experience the ToolSense™ innovation, along with SMART’s entire new lineup of interactive flat panels.

“The fact that we can incorporate tactile learning objects brings a new level to hands-on learning in the classroom and makes it accessible for everyone.” said Nicholas Svensson, SMART Technologies Executive Vice President & Operations Officer. 

Attendees visited “The Teaching Tech Zone” for a fully interactive experience or stopped by SMART’s stand NH2o to experience the ToolSense innovation for a chance to spin the wheel and win a SMART Board 6000S interactive display. SMART’s Seminar Spotlight “Time Saving Tech Hacks for Teachers” offered educators tips and tricks for using technology to save time in the classroom.   

At FETC, attendees joined the SMART team in booth #2813 along with special guests from Divine Savior Academy and the School District of Palm Beach County to explore the 2020 classroom ecosystem and ways to boost engagement. 

AllHere, a platform created to improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism, announced its nationwide launch at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC). AllHere is web-, mobile-, and tablet-accessible, and integrates with district rostering and attendance systems.

According to recent research, 1 in 6 students miss three weeks or more of school per year. The graduation rate for these students is 28.6%, compared to 70% for students who miss 10 or fewer days of school per year. In large districts, the financial costs can be enormous: LAUSD lost $20 million in one year due to chronic absenteeism. Chronic absence is an early indicator of greater challenges a student may face, such as drug and alcohol use, suspension, expulsion, dropping out, teen pregnancy, and crime.

The AllHere platform includes:

• Diagnostic tools that allow leaders to align interventions with the root cause of chronic absences
• Data analytics and reports that provide metrics for district goal-setting and progress-reporting
• A library of intervention strategies to determine the services to best support the needs of each student
• Access to professional learning that offers best practice training and ongoing support 

Joanna Smith, Founder and CEO of AllHere, is one of a very small class of black women leading VC-funded tech firms in the U.S. today. After earning her bachelor's degree from Harvard, Smith worked as a middle school math teacher in Boston, where she faced so much chronic absenteeism that she was unable to be an effective teacher. After serving as an attendance and family engagement coordinator, Smith built the company from a shoestring budget and a spreadsheet into a fast-growing, 15-person startup that has secured nearly $4 million in capital.

It actually is quite obvious that the Arts should be included in STEM education. The idea of STEAM brings out the skills of creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication that are so important in the work place. A look at the works of Leonardo da Vinci will attest to this! The very first time I heard the idea of integrating the Arts into STEM education was while watching a 2009 keynote made by Daniel Pink at the NECC  Conference in Washington DC… yes prior to ISTE Conferences!  

1. NPR Where Science Meets Art – Some exceptional Podcasts integrating Science and Art. Many of these titles will allow for student reflection and questions as they begin to see how the Arts and Science can be integrated.
2. Arts Edge – A fantastic resource from the Kennedy Center hosting numerous lessons that integrate Art into the curriculum.You will discover a focus  on ways to support innovative teaching with the arts, and meet changing trends in education and to accommodate the ever-evolving impact of technology in our lives. This amazing collection of free digital resources—including lesson plans, audio stories, video clips, and interactive online modules—has been streamlined for easier browsing and upgraded to leverage best practices in educational media and multimedia-supported
3. BabbleDabbleDo –  This is a site that allows students to explore and engage with their right brain. This is important in our tech saturated world. This site provides that creative angle that puts kids in that out of the box mode while exploring concepts in science, math, and engineering.  The site proclaims that the best part of creating is the process.And I truly I believe that EVERYONE IS CREATIVE.
4. STEM to STEAM -The STEM to STEAM initiative, championed by the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), is supported by teachers, researchers, policy makers, students, and business people from RISD and beyond.
5. Why Scientific Innovation Needs The Arts – Explore this wonderful article from the Guardian that explains the connection between science and the arts. Great read to support STEAM thinking in any educational setting.
6. OER Commons – Take a look at these results from a search I did for  STEAM based activities. There are some powerful lessons that bring the arts into the classroom. Since it is OER (Open Education Resources) it is free.
7. Teach Hub Technology and STEAM – Take a look at these possibilities for connecting standards, technology integration, and STEAM.
8. Edutopia STEAM Resources – One of the finest education sites brings STEAM to the forefront. Enjoy this engaging journey.  You will discover information, examples, and tools related to incorporating aspects of the arts, design, and the humanities into STEM-based school activities.
9. Odyssey of the Mind – This  international educational program provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems.
10. Lemon Lime Adventures 50 STEAM Projects and Activities – Take some time to look through the various links on this page. You are bound to find some great possibilities that will fit your standards.
11. Autodesk Digital Steam Workshop – Digital STEAM projects are designed by Autodesk’s network of expert educators, designers and student alumni as exciting complements to core Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Art (STEAM) curriculum. Each project aligns with common core and national standards and delivers measurable learning while using free software.
12. National Gallery of Art  – You will find organized into thematic units, each grade-level-specific lesson plan focuses on a single work of art and can be executed within one to two class periods. These lessons meet the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Visual Arts curriculum standards
13. Exploratorium – Take a look at the entire site, but especially explore the Art related material.  In fact this link brings you to the Tinkering STudio. You will find lessons that allow you to connect with other subject areas including the STEM disciplines. You will get a new definition of exploring through the Exploratorium,
14. The Art Institute of Chicago – Explore these wonderful lessons that cover Science and the Arts. It just might have you and your students look at Art in a whole different way. Best of all you will discover some STEAM possibilities.
15. Lesson Plans and resources for Art Integration – This Edutopia Article has a rich assortment of lessons and resources to integrate Art into curricular areas including Math, Science, and Design. A great read that will lead to some wonderful opportunities.
16. CIESE Online – CIESE  (Center for Innovation and Science Education) sponsors and designs interdisciplinary projects that teachers throughout the world can use to enhance their curriculum through compelling use of the Internet.  Each project has a brief description and links to the National Science Standards and NCTM math standards it supports
17. Masterpieces to Math – A wonderful article that focuses on how to incorporate art in math. Learn how to use Art to teach fractions, decimals, and percent equivalents. You will look at Math in a whole new STEAMie way.
18. Space School Musical – Your students will enjoy joining teenager Hannah on a trip through the solar system in this ultra-cool edu-tainment “hip-hopera” that uses song and dance to introduce the planets, moons, asteroids and more. Educators can download the lyrics for students to learn and perform the routines for themselves or just play the videos in class. There are also links provided for more in-depth activities.
19. Cardboard Challenge – Not everything needs high tech and expensive resources. A lot can be done with a cardboard box and a lot of imagination. Check out this amazing challenge from the Imagine Foundation. Take a moment to watch the video. You and your students will want to be involved with this amazing low tech, high engagement possibility.
20. KinderArt – Discover Fine Art lessons as they apply to all different subject areas. Lessons are searchable by grade and subject. Some great ideas to integrate with.
21. Share Space Foundation – The ShareSpace Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring children’s passions for science, technology, engineering, arts and math by providing innovative, interactive educational tools to educators across the country.  ShareSpace has reached more than 250,000 children across the globe through strategic partnerships and the engaging Giant Mars Map™.
22. Scratch –  With Scratch, kids can program their own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively . All of this is possible while essential skills for life in the 21st century are facilitated. Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is provided free of charge.
23. Teacher Vision Art and Math –Students will enjoy participating in math class with our art activities for teachers of any grade level, from elementary to high school.  You will find opportunities to mix numbers with creativity and art activities that your students will love. There are lessons for creating counting books, crafts that encourage measuring, geometry printables to color, sculpting activities, and much more!  Introduce new concepts or reinforce topics your students have already learned.
24. Eurekus – This is a site with STEAM powered discovery. Discover the many free lessons that bring the left brain world alive in the the right brain.
25. Left Brain Craft Brain – Discover this blog with great activities and possibilities to engage the whole brain in the engineering process. It is a self-proclaimed mega monster of STEAM posts.  You will find some of the coolest science, technology, engineering, art and math projects from some of the most creative bloggers out there.
26. What is STEAM ? – This is an amazing resource site from the Education Closet. here you will find some great lessons that are aligned to the standards of STEM and Art curriculum. Be sure to read the blogs, links, news, and research. Be sure to check out all the possibilities on this site by clicking the menu. You will even find a STEAM-based magazine.
27. The Stanford Design School – Get ready for some innovative lessons that include the design process. You will find an abundance of material and resources to bring innovation to your STEAM program.
28. National Association For Music Education – Take some time at this site. Explore the curriculum along with awesome teacher resources. This is a great site that might tune up some of that important STEAM education.
29. STEAM Art Lessons – Take a look at these wonderful STEAM based art lessons from an amazing elementary Art teacher. There are some wonderful ideas for bringing the curriculum together.
30. How To Smile – This is an amazing collecting of some of the best educational materials, learning activities, tools, and services. They are all designed especially for those who teach school-aged kids in activity-based settings. This site is sponsored by a group of science museums dedicated to bringing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) out of the academic cloister and into the wider world. This is a great place to Make STEM happen!
31. New York Times Lesson Plans – I include this because you will find a collection of amazing lessons that cross all areas. Best of all, they bring the creativity and innovation into these lessons which is the foundation for the arts.
32. Art in Action – Take a look at these mini Art lessons that allow students to get in that right brain frame of mind.
33. PBS STEM Collection – PBS Learning Media has great resources. Check them all out. This link brings you to the STEM Collection.
34. Project Pals – A great article that looks at STEM/STEAM possibilities in the world of PBL for all grade levels.
35. Learn It By Art – Take any subject… you can learn it by using Art. What might you find?
36. Fizzics Education – Learn how Art and the Design Process come together to make great lessons.
37. Four Skills From STEAM Education – Check out this 2019 article from Teach Thought on the benefits of providing a STEAM Education.
38. EGFI – This is an amazing site for some wonderful STEAM Resources. You will find lessons ready to get your students designing.
39. Instructables – Check out these 100 STEAM projects for kids.
40. Full STEAM Ahead – A great collection of resources and ideas on STEAM from Concordia University in Portland Oregon.
41. 36 Resources for STEM Project Based Learning – If you’re a teacher or  looking for ideas for STEM project-based learning activities, then you’ve come to the right place.
42. The STEM Laboratory – These 50+ STEM projects are sure to keep little scientists engaged, learning and well-prepared for their STEM-filled future.
43. A Guide for Women in STEM: Closing the Gender Gap - A guide from Master's in Data Science that provides information about the current gender and diversity gaps in STEM university studies and careers, reasons for those gaps, and strategies to help promote inclusivity in STEM-related industries.

cross-posted at 21centuryedtech.wordpress.com

Michael Gorman oversees one-to-one laptop programs and digital professional development for Southwest Allen County Schools near Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is a consultant for Discovery Education, ISTE, My Big Campus, and November Learning and is on the National Faculty for The Buck Institute for Education. His awards include district Teacher of the Year, Indiana STEM Educator of the Year and Microsoft’s 365 Global Education Hero. Read more at 21centuryedtech.wordpress.com.

With FETC ending later today, it’s a good time to take stock of some of the more innovative and notable things we saw at the show. From security to programming, there was a lot to see but here are a few of our favorites from the show floor.

Color-Coded Coding

Ozobot’s Evo takes robotic coding classes to a new level with a color-coded scheme that makes learning programming easier and more intuitive for students from kindergarteners to high school seniors. The classroom kit will be available later this month and include everything needed for students to learn how to program the small spherical Evo robot to perform a series of maneuvers and tricks. The company has more than 150 online lessons and the classroom kit costs $1,800 (for 18 students) or $1,200 (for 12 students).

One-Shot Sign-In

Nothing slows a class down more than stopping to sign into yet another online curriculum site, but students and teachers can now get to the Kami Acrobat reader and annotation tool via an Office log in. The new app can not only synchronize documents, but Kami files can be stored on Microsoft’s OneDrive online repository.

Protecting G Suite

Google’s G Suite of apps is a great – and cheap – way to get high-quality collaborative programs in the hands of students and teachers, but for schools that want extra layer of online security, there’s Managed Methods. The company’s cloud-based package not only monitors all G Suite accounts and blocks inappropriate online material, but can stop data loss and prevent phishing attempts, malware exploits and account takeovers.

Bright Light, Low Price

By concentrating on the basics, Epson’s PowerLite 118 model will be high on brightness and low on price. Its three LCD panel design can deliver 3,800 lumens and include an excellent assortment of connection ports. Happily, it works with Epson’s iProjection app so that 50 classroom computers can share their screens with the class.  

Book Talk

In addition to the ability to add video clips, stickers and make text pop on the page, the latest version of Book Creator adds a new voice feature. This allows kids to speak their story right into a computer’s microphone and have it show up on-screen in any of 120 supported languages. In addition to school pricing plans, the software costs $60 a year (for up to 180 books) or $120 a year (for up to 1,000 books).

Sensing a Safer School

In an attempt to create a safer school environment, Rhombus Systems software will go beyond video surveillance to integrate the output of a series of new sensors. The cloud-based service will not only look at asset tags, but door sensors as well as the company’s environmental gauge for temperature and humidity.

Safety in the Cloud

Using Amazon Web Services’ online artificial intelligence engine, the new Safety Cloud from Kokomo 24/7 Solutions seeks to end bullying, disruptive behavior and suicide at schools by surfacing the behavior before it becomes critical. The program can review and monitor up to eight years of data to provide predictive insight in identifying potential risks.

Up, Up and Away

Flinn Scientific’s new Drone app for WhiteBox Learning can not only teach middle- and high-school students about the dynamics of flight but lets them design, model and actually simulate flying it. If you want, these designs can be turned into full flying machines with parts from Flinn Scientific.

All-in-One Classroom Software

By bringing together software for classroom presentations with a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) HoverCam’s ClassFusion is trying to simplify teaching. It can not only work with multiple digital devices but can control the entire classroom’s learning landscape from creating lesson plans, whiteboarding and more than 4-million online lessons to calendars and online homework submission. Look for it later this year.

Glose SAS today announced the launch of Glose Education, an adaptive reading and learning platform for students and teachers. 

Glose Education, which is making its debut in the U.S. K-12 education market at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), was built with input from students and educators in middle schools, high schools, and universities. 

Glose Education is a collaborative and personalized digital reading platform for use in classrooms, schools, libraries, and at home. Offering access to more than one million e-books, Glose Education fosters a social, fun, and engaging reading experience. Drawing on the familiarity and benefits of safe social networking, the platform allows students to read and comprehend both on their own and with their peers. They can read, discover, annotate, and share text with other students.

Educators can create virtual book clubs and leveled reading groups, provide an adaptive reading experience with writing prompts and discussion starters, and see how each student is interacting with the text. With access to real-time data, school leaders can make informed decisions while creating a curated digital library that their students can access anytime, anywhere. 

Glose Education is available on iOS, Android, and the web, while also allowing for offline usage in order to ensure equitable access for all. Students and teachers can get started with access to thousands of free e-books, with more than one million titles available on the enterprise edition for schools and districts. 

FETC attendees can connect with Glose at booth #1435j in the Start-Up Pavilion.

Today at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), zSpace Inc., Silicon Valley-based edtech provider, and MEL Science, London-based VR and hands-on learning science education specialists, announced a partnership to bring MEL Science’s curriculum-based chemistry courses to zSpace’s augmented and virtual (AR/VR) education platform.

This partnership delivers the MEL Chemistry application and lesson plans to millions of students around the world, expanding content available to zSpace users. As of today, 10 activities for middle school and 39 for high school are available through MEL Chemistry, including lessons and makerspace labs that provide open-ended creation opportunities and hands-on learning activities.

With MEL Chemistry on zSpace, students use AR and VR to experience being inside pure substances, mixtures, and even atoms. MEL Chemistry provides  visualization and explanation of chemistry concepts - from atoms to molecules, including the periodic table, gas laws, and isomerism. 

zSpace will be at FETC in Miami, January 15 - 17, 2020, demonstrating MEL Chemistry in booth 1002.

Lenovo™ (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is introducing its new portfolio of technology for education at the 40th annual Future of Education Technology Conference® (FETC) in Miami. New solutions include the Lenovo VR Classroom 2, as well as laptops and tablets specially tailored for learning and teaching. 

Lenovo education technology experts are also presenting insights on new experiences and trends at FETC®, including the development and benefits of esports in education, as well as smarter classroom orchestration. 

Lenovo is introducing VR Classroom 2, a solution that allows teachers and administrators to integrate virtual reality lessons into their curriculum. 

Lenovo VR Classroom 2 is a complete solution for teaching with VR, providing fully integrated hardware, content, training, and support designed specifically for middle schools and high schools. The solution comes with a new headset and content management system, as well as diverse curriculum-mapped experiences, including STEM, virtual tours, and career exploration. 

Online ­and­ onsite training plus all-in-one support­ take­ this VR education solution to the top of the class. Optional hardware, accessories, and professional development are available. 

The Lenovo VR Classroom 2 will be available in Spring 2020. 

An all new Lenovo 10e Chromebook Tablet is the latest addition and a tool for K-2 students to begin their education journey with problem-solving games, assessments and hands-on learning apps.

Highlights of 10e Chromebook Tablet:

• Specifically designed to withstand the rigors of a classroom environment with rubber bumpers and a super tough DragontrailTM Pro Glass that meets MIL-STD-810G testing
• Powerful but efficient MediaTek processor that conquers daily classroom tasks
• ·Versatile detachable keyboard folio case with anchored and water-resistant keys1
• Eight years of auto-updates2, world-facing camera, Universal Stylus Input support and access to tons of creativity tools and learning apps. 

The latest ThinkPad™ 11e Yoga™ is  thinner and lighter than ever (19.9mm and 3.1 pounds).

Highlights of ThinkPad 11e Yoga:

• Durability of ThinkPad Education design specifications that meets MIL-STD-810G testing with rubber bumpers and Corning GorillaTM Glass
• Powerful Intel® processor that meets the needs of any students or teachers
• Versatility of Pencil Touch Technology allowing students to use a No. 2 pencil to interact directly with the screen, and an optional garaged active pen when more precision is required
• Optional World-Facing Camera making it easier to record and take pictures and videos in all modes

Lenovo is also refreshing the 2nd generation of 100e, 300e and 500e Chromebooks and 100e, 300e Windows with the latest processors. 

Pricing and Availability:

Lenovo 10e Chromebook Tablet will be available from March, starting at $269.
ThinkPad 11e Yoga Gen 6 will be available from February, starting at $699.

Chromebooks:
Lenovo 100e 2nd Gen Chromebook will be available from now, starting at $214.
Lenovo 300e 2nd Gen Chromebook will be available from now, starting at $319.
Lenovo 500e 2nd Gen Chromebook will be available from now, starting at $399.

Windows:
Lenovo 100e 2nd Gen will be available from now, starting at $299.
Lenovo 300e 2nd Gen will be available from now, starting at $349.

See a demonstration of Lenovo’s technology for education at booth #2400 during FETC in the Miami Beach Convention Center January 14-17, 2020.

HoverCam will showcase its family of classroom learning technologies in booth 2425 at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) 2020 in Miami. The company will demonstrate its Pilot X tablet-based digital teaching station, 16-megapixel Ultra 10 document camera, and ClassFusion, a comprehensive software platform for classroom management and presentation.

With the HoverCam Pilot X, teachers and presenters can work from an ergonomic and mobile teaching podium featuring a slide out keyboard. The 13-inch, 10-point-touch tablet can be unlocked and used anywhere in the classroom. With multi-touch technology, the tablet has the horsepower of Windows 10 OS combined with the intuitive hand gestures of a mobile device. 

The Ultra 10 document camera features a 7.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, true 4K HDMI output, a 16-megapixel sensor, and a powerful Android computer. The built-in multitouch viewing monitor allows educators to see exactly what their students see without having to turn their backs. Users can connect a display, IFP, or projector — via wired HDMI or a wireless 4K transmitter without a PC — to record lessons, capture images, and show live video.

HoverCam's ClassFusion is a comprehensive software platform designed for a fully digital classroom. Drawing from the feedback of a network of educators who beta tested the solution, ClassFusion fuses a classroom presentation system with a learning management system. It features dynamic lesson and notes capture; a lesson plan builder with access to a database of over 4 million resources matched to curriculum; teachers' calendars; space-saving, vector-based lesson recording to the cloud; enhanced whiteboarding with smart tools including handwriting and object recognition; online homework submission and student messaging; Hopscotch multisplit; and more.

More information on HoverCam and their full line of products is available hovercam.com.

OverDrive Education’s K-12 student reading app Sora is now available in over 23,000 schools worldwide – a 28% increase over 2018, and schools using Sora saw student reading time nearly double throughout the 2018-19 school year. Sora was named one of TIME's 100 Best Inventions of 2019. With Sora, students have 24/7 access to ebooks and audiobooks from not just their school’s digital collection but also their local public library. 

Sessions at this week’s Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami (Booth #2213) will demonstrate how Sora and digital books increase student reading by providing the flexibility to meet the ever-changing needs of the 21st-century classroom (complete schedule here). OverDrive Education, the leading ebook and audiobook service for schools, will also share best practices and highlights, such as the year-end lists below. 

Based on data from 23,000 schools worldwide, the following lists represent the most popular titles during the 2018-19 school year. 

The top five ebooks for K-12 students in 2019:
1. Wonder by R. J. Palacio
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
3. Big Nate Makes a Splash by Lincoln Peirce
4. Pray for a Fire Drill by Lincoln Peirce
5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

The top five audiobooks for K-12 students in 2019:
1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
2. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'engle
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

4. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
5. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan 

Comparing the beginning of the 2018-19 school year to the end, educators found that students using Sora nearly doubled the amount of time they spent reading per month. Contributing to this increase is the option for students to add access to their local public library’s digital collection, expanding their selection of age- and grade-appropriate popular ebooks and audiobooks. Students who added public library access in Sora increased the number of books read by nearly 50%. 

Sora, which is now compatible with Google Classroom, can also show educators a variety of insights, such as an aggregate view by school of the number of books students have opened daily, plus the average reading time per session. 

Visit FETC Booth #2213 from January 15-17 to learn more. 

For more information about OverDrive’s service for schools, visit company.overdrive.com/education/k-12-schools/ and FETC Booth #2213.

I am excited and honored to be presenting at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC 2020) in Miami, Florida this January 14th through 17th.

I always look forward to an opportunity to see old friends, make new friends, share some ideas, and learn so many new things from others.

Below is a list of sessions I will be presenting at FETC 2020, along with any associated resources. Please feel free to join me for any of these sessions. I look forward to sharing, learning, and chatting with you!

My Sessions:

 TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020

Holy Sheets! Google Sheets Activities for all Subjects

• Session Code: W060$
• Time: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
• Location: 229 B - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/sheets

Literacy Activities with Google Docs

• Session Code: W133$
• Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• Location: 228 B - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/docslit

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

Googley Activities and Tools for Elementary Students

• Session Code: W168$
• Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Location: 229 B - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/primarygoog

Awesome Uses for Google Drawings in Your Classroom

• Session Code: SB02
• Time: 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
• Location: Expo Hall Booth 4600 Skill Builder Theater
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/drawings

Google Tools for Struggling Students

• Session Code: C057
• Time: 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM
• Location: 228 B - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/sped

 THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020

Applied Digital Skills: Google's Tech Skills Curriculum for all Subjects

• Session Code: W206$
• Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Location: 240-241 - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://bit.ly/appdigskills

Hipster Google: Tools You Probably Never Heard Of

• Session Code: M010
• Time: 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
• Location: Grand Ball Room C - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/hipster

Fantastic Feedback Tools for Google Docs

• Session Code: C252
• Time: 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM
• Location: 228 B - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/docsfeedback

Beyond the Slideshow: Unleashing Student Creativity With Google Slides

• Session Code: C323
• Time: 4:00 PM - 4:40 PM
• Location: 244-245 - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/slides

 FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2020

360 Degree Learning with Google Tour Creator

• Session Code: W239$
• Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Location: 231 - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/tourcreator

The Bionic Educator

• Session Code: C372
• Time: 11:00 AM - 11:40 AM
• Location: 206 - Miami Beach Convention Center
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/bionic

Connect with Me

I would love to stay connected with you after the conference. Please feel free to connect with me in any of the ways listed below:

• Email: ericcurts@gmail.com
• Twitter: @ericcurts
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/ericcurts
• Website: www.controlaltachieve.com

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Eric Curts is an education trainer and consultant with over 20 years' experience throughout the U.S. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and a Google Certified Innovator. Read his blog at www.controlaltachieve.com and follow him on Google+ and @ericcurts on Twitter.

MIND Research Institute today announced the launch of an all-new version of its flagship solution, ST Math®. 

Based on 20 years of neuroscientific research, ST Math uses spatial-temporal games to present math concepts visually for students in grades preK–8. 

The mastery-based and standards-aligned ST Math offers challenging puzzles, non-routine problem solving, and informative feedback. Independent education research firm WestEd recently published a study evaluating a math edtech program on multiple state assessments. The 239 schools that used ST Math consistently outgrew similar schools in statewide rank by an average of 14 percentile points.

The newest version is built on the latest website technology, featuring responsive design to work on any device. The update gives ST Math’s mascot, JiJi, and all the puzzles and environments a fresh look and allows students to track their logins, minutes played, and puzzles solved each week.

For administrators, ST Math now has more streamlined implementation focused on single sign-on and account provisioning, as well as new reporting tools that offer comprehensive student data to uncover insights and track student learning results.

Improvements for teachers will help them implement the program with greater fidelity, integrate it with core curriculum more easily, and better support student learning. Key features for teachers in the new version include:

• A simplified user experience
• A new assignments feature, allowing teachers to assign any ST Math objective to individual students, groups, or the whole class outside of their journey
• Redesigned progress reports and student detail information to more clearly present actionable data for informed instruction
• The ability to see the progress of minutes played and puzzles completed during the current week, or as a median of all weeks to track engagement
• The ability to view a student’s entire history of usage and progress toward standards and objectives, as well as clear alerts for struggling students.

To learn more about the new version of ST Math, which is available for the 2020-2021 academic year, go to http://www.stmath.com/whats-new. 

According to the National Science Foundation, students need in-depth, high-quality educational STEM experiences to succeed in the “information-based and highly technological society.” Across the country, districts recognize STEM education as a priority and are implementing programming that provides K12 students with hands-on, project-based STEM lessons. Yet, based on a 2018 report, STEM education is not an equitable experience for all school districts nor all students. In the case of the haves and have nots, school districts in low-income areas with limited funding resources struggle to provide students with access to computer science classes, comprehensive STEM programs, and adequately equipped science labs. Even more disturbing is that underrepresented students, such as girls,students of color, students with learning disabilities, and students in low socioeconomic backgrounds, are not regularly presented with learning opportunities that would expose them to challenging STEM. 

FETC (Future of Educational Technology Conference) recognizes the challenges and roadblocks school districts and educators face when trying to provide equitable access to STEM education for all students. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in Miami, Florida, on January 14- 17, 2020, FETC once again will prove itself as one of the top edtech conferences to attend this year. With a wealth of STEM sessions, workshops, learning labs, and school tours, attendees will experience proven strategies and solutions to combat the growing numbers of students with little or no exposure to STEM projects.

STEM Keynote

No one is more in tune to the urgency of ensuring that all students, especially those in the underrepresented categories, have an abundance of STEM educational opportunities than Justin Shaifer. Shaifer, aka Mr. Fascinate, is the founder and executive director of Fascinate, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides culturally responsive lesson plans and experiences to students across the US. During FETC 2020, this high energy 24-year-old will engage attendees with his STEM Keynote presentation, “Bring STEM to Class: A Practical Guide to Education.” Shaifer’s goal “to be for STEM what ESPN is for sports” and to inspire young people to “embrace their inner nerd despite their surroundings.”

STEM Sessions

Echoing Shaifer’s mission to bring STEM education to every classroom and every student are the courageous, committed, and visionary edtech leaders, educators, and support staff presenting at FETC 2020. Within the six edtech strands that have become synonymous with FETC, numerous sessions focus on innovative practices and solutions to ensure students are positioned well for the yet to be created STEM positions that will be available when they graduate. 

Sessions such as Coding in K-8 Classrooms: Empowering Creativity and Content Creation, Cross-Curricular STEAM Integration for Every Classroom, and Collaborating Across Curriculums Using Digital Tools and Maker Space highlight the importance of ensuring that makerspaces are not the only place students learn science, technology, engineering, and real-world math applications. These sessions reflect the belief that when integrated across curriculum areas, coding exposes more students to STEM education resulting in students who are more engaged, energized, and active participants in their learning. 

Educators recognize but don’t always have the skillset to connect and engage underrepresented students in areas such as STEM. Encouraging Underrepresented Populations to Engage and Stay in STEM, Engaging Students in 21st Century Skills Through an Engineering Mindset and Hero Elementary: Designing Accessible Digital Experiences to Promote STEM Equity sessions showcase how classroom teachers can champion inclusion by connecting students to content-rich STEM experiences while supporting their needs and learning struggles. 

When school districts have the necessary funding and educators have the tools, skills, and resources to provide multiple opportunities for students to have hands-on STEM learning opportunities, the playing field becomes leveled for underrepresented students. Attending FETC 2020 is an opportunity for edtech leaders and educators to learn about the struggles of underrepresented students, interact with colleagues on common issues and leave with strategies and solutions to the barriers many of our students experience in STEM education. 

Eileen Belastock, CETL (@EileenBelastock) is a Director of Academic Technology in Massachusetts.

Fasetto's The Forum™ app allows instructors to share their screen to every student’s smartphone, tablet and laptop so every desk is a "front-row seat" to the lesson. 

“Multiple studies show that student performance, participation, retention and understanding can vary greatly dependent on their seat position in a classroom or lecture hall,” said Dan Bruck, Chief Marketing Officer at Fasetto. “More specifically, research revealed students who sit in rows further-back or off-to-the-side do not perform as well or interact as much as a student who sits directly in the front or middle rows.” 

Forum is a presentation solution that can help equalize the seating disparity in classrooms, where every student can clearly see the presentation, download associated materials, ask questions of the lecturer discreetly and directly, using the device they carry every day. Teachers can quiz their classrooms with varying formats and view student responses in real-time. 

To learn more, watch the video below. Forum was just honored as a Gold Winner in Best Apps of the Year for Educational Institutions by the Golden Bridge Awards.

The National Future of Education Technology® Conference (FETC®) today announced that the full program for the 40th anniversary event is now available online. The conference will feature more than 600 total learning opportunities, including keynote presentations from world-class speakers, targeted session tracks organized around the most relevant roles in education leadership, hands-on technology workshops and more. The conference will take place January 14-17, 2020 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Fla.

New Opportunities at FETC 2020

The following opportunities are some of the highlighted new additions to the FETC program:

• New Content Tracks to Support Evolving Ed Tech Roles―FETC 2020 will feature the Future of Ed Tech Library Media Specialist and Future of Ed Tech Coach tracks.
• FETC® Coaching Collaborative Powered by iTeach―FETC and the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University have partnered to provide a new certification program for technology champions, instructional technology coaches and others interested in expanding their professional knowledge of education technology. 
• Learning Sandboxes―This dedicated hands-on learning experience on the FETC Expo floor will specialize in different topics each day, including augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), maker education and elementary digital tools. 

Celebrated Keynotes

FETC attendees will have the opportunity to experience the following keynote sessions:

• Daniel Pink―On Wednesday, January 15, international best-selling author Daniel Pink will deliver the opening keynote, “Leadership, Innovation, and the Surprising Truth of Human Motivation,” which challenges attendees to consider the key question, “what motivates people to do their best work?”
• TechSHARE LIVE!―This attendee favorite will return on Thursday, January 16.  Educational technology experts Adam Bellow, Hall Davidson, Leslie Fisher and Kathy Schrock will give participants a first look at the latest, most exciting gadgets, apps, hardware and software to involve learners in creating, making, programming, problem solving and more.
• Justin Shaifer―Shaifer will give the closing keynote, “Bring STEM to Class: A Practical Guide to Education,” on Friday, January 17. In this presentation, the dynamic 24-year-old keynoter will offer practical strategies to engage Generation Z in STEM education.

Registration is now open for the 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227.  Educators who register before November 1, 2019 will save up to $150 by securing the Super Saver rate.

The National Future of Education Technology Conference® (FETC®) has announced the six content tracks for 2020, two of which―Future of Ed Tech Library Media Specialist and Future of Ed Tech Coach―are new tracks being introduced for the first time. FETC 2020, the 40th anniversary event, will feature more than 600 total sessions organized around the key roles in education leadership, providing all attendees with the opportunity to select the most relevant content and maximize their learning. The conference will take place January 14-17, 2020 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Fla.

The six content tracks for FETC 2020 are:

• Future of Ed Tech Library Media Specialist―This new track will inform participants about the resources and training tools available to incorporate technology into programs.
• Future of Ed Tech Coach―In this newly-created track, participants can get the latest insights and strategies on instructional technologies, personalized learning materials and pedagogical methods to mentor and train educators in their schools and districts.
• Future of Ed Tech Administrator―This track, designed for leaders in schools and districts, will deliver technology-based best practices that can be used in administrators’ efforts to lead initiatives that embrace technology, engage learners and build capacity among entire teams.
• Future of Ed Tech Information Technology―With sessions for every role in the technology department, this track provides takeaways to address cybersecurity, AR/VR, cloud computing and more.
• Future of Ed Tech Educator―In this track, teachers will discover innovative digital learning tools for the classroom—from game-based learning to online learning strategies and coding—and learn practical tips to take back and implement in their schools.
• Future of Ed Tech Inclusion & Special Education―Special education leaders, support staff and educators will find specific and relevant content in this track. Participants will learn about effective practices for using technology to support the academic and social-emotional growth of all students, including those with disabilities.

In addition to the hundreds of concurrent sessions across the six targeted tracks, FETC 2020 will have numerous learning and networking opportunities for participants of all roles and interests. The conference will kick off with an opening keynote from best-selling author Daniel Pink and will feature a STEM keynote from Justin Shaifer, founder and executive director of Fascinate, Inc. 

Registration is now open for the 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227.  Educators who register before November 1, 2019 will save up to $150 by securing the Super Saver rate.

I had a wonderful time collaborating, speaking, and learning at #FECT.  Below are the  resources from my sessions.  Enjoy and hope to continue to collaborate. Connect with me on social or through email to continue learning and growing together.

email: drmatthewxjoseph@gmail.com

LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/MXJlink

Twitter: @MatthewXJoseph

YouTube: X-Factor Channel

Session Resources 

Click here for Active and Blended Learning Thought Innovation

Click here for Innovative Leadership

cross posted at techinnovation.live 

Dr. Matthew X. Joseph is currently the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation for the Milford Public School District in Milford, MA. Before coming to Milford, he was a building principal for 11 years in Natick, MA and Attleboro, MA. Other professional roles include: classroom teacher, district professional development specialist supporting leadership and technology instruction. Matt holds licenses in general education, school administration, and Massachusetts superintendent. His master’s degree is in special education and earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Boston College.

Throughout his career, Matt focused on what is in the best interest of students and pushing the limits to achieve excellence in schools. He is an instructional leader constantly looking for student and school improvement while building community and continued teacher improvement. He is passionate about building a collaborative school culture, creating a school of learners utilizing 21st century instructional tools, and developing leaders’ communication techniques to enhance instruction and parent communication.

Follow Dr. Joseph on twitter at @MatthewXJoseph or read his blog techinnovation.live

KinderLab Robotics today expanded its KIBO™ curriculum suite by announcing Growing with KIBO - A Progressive Robotics Curriculum for Grades K­–2. This guide was designed to support early elementary classrooms with a STEAM curriculum covering robotics, coding, and computational thinking—in addition to providing opportunities for integrating these topics with arts and literacy activities. With this newest addition, KinderLab now offers more than 150 hours of standards-aligned robotics curriculum across its various books.

Growing with KIBO is built upon the work of Dr. Marina Bers and her DevTech Research Group at Tufts University. The new guide expands upon the research-backed progression established in KinderLab’s Creating with KIBO curriculum, adding many more classroom hours of lesson plans and establishing a clear, progressive scope and sequence built on three themes: powerful ideas in computational thinking, the engineering design process, and social-emotional learning (SEL). 

Each lesson includes facilitation suggestions, discussion and reflection prompts, and background information for teachers. The guide is divided into three 20-hour sections—Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced—to support a range of progression models, from kindergarten to 2nd grade. 

Growing with KIBO - A Progressive Robotics Curriculum for Grades K-2 is available for pre-order from the KinderLab Webstore for a special introductory price of $50. The promotion expires on February 28, 2019, which is also when the guide will be available to ship.

FETC 2019 attendees can stop by booth #2214 to learn more about KIBO and Growing with KIBO - A Progressive Robotics Curriculum for Grades K–2.

MERGE announces a new AR/VR learning platform, Windows 10 support for the MERGE Cube, and an educator Ambassador program at the 2019 Future of Education Technology Expo.

MERGE will preview a new subscription-based active learning software platform designed to give teachers and students a single destination for AR objects and tools, VR experiences, and activity plans aligned to NGSS standards. Students will be able to import and upload models from 3D model libraries such as Microsoft Remix 3D or Google Poly, create their own via Paint 3D, or build and code in Tinkercad or CoSpaces Edu and convert them into AR objects that they can hold and share. A single sign-on feature will allow students to use the platform in the classroom, library, lab or makerspace. The platform will also enable students to scan real-world objects and convert them into virtual objects they can hold on the MERGE Cube.

MERGE will also demo Windows 10 versions of several MERGE Cube apps including Galactic Explorer, Mr. Body, AnatomyAR+, DIG!, Shapes and Object Viewer for Microsoft Surface devices. The latest honors for the MERGE Cube include being named as a finalist in the 2018 Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence to be announced February 4-8 at the 2019 TCEA Convention & Expo.

In addition to new product announcements, MERGE will announce its inaugural class of educator Ambassadors. MERGE is activating a select group of educators to contribute best practices to help accelerate AR/VR adoption and use in the classroom. Participating educators will receive a variety of benefits such as pre-release access to the newest MERGE products, VIP access to MERGE events and channels, and speaking/event support. MERGE is also announcing several new resellers and professional development providers to support school customers.

For more news and information about MERGE, visit www.mergevr.com. Visit MERGE at booth #1931 to learn more about its new products, educator resources and resellers.

Hello from Orlando Florida. I am excited about learning with thousands of other educators at this amazing conference.  If you are deciding at the last minute to attend I highly suggest it. You will be involved  in the opportunity to choose from 600+ learning opportunities that best meet your needs specific to your role in leading the digital transformation — with basic to advanced sessions in 5 program tracks. Check out these possibilities from the links below. In fact you can take a look at the Schedule at a Glance right here. 

Educator
Administrator
Information Technology
Inclusion & Special Education
Early Learning 

In the space below I have posted my contribution to FETC and promise you will walk away with some amazing ideas, resources, strategies, and future collaborators.  

$W021 | Making Makers Mainstream … Connecting Curriculum Standards and the 4C’s
Sunday, January 27, 2019 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Venue: Orange County Convention Center
Room: NORTH 220F 

The makers movement across education has made a significant impact, allowing students to do and create. Discover ways to establish not just a space but a culture connecting authentic learning and standards to making. Explore ways to bring design, computational thinking, coding, robotics, electronics, engineering, and other elements of making into the regular classroom day in support of academic standards across the school in every subject. You will discover free and inexpensive maker resources to engage students in writing, math, reading. science, social studies, and the fine and applied arts. Discover connections with PBL, STEM, and STEAM from Mike Gorman that will bring your classroom, school, and district makerspaces to the mainstream. 

$W071 | Project Based Learning for Your District/Classroom Quickstart
Sunday, January 27, 2019 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Venue: Orange County Convention Center
Room: NORTH 220F 

Explore various models of PBL that allow for standards-based learning while facilitating the 4C’s. Understand how PBL can be the process and pedagogy for multiple initiatives, including 1:1, STEM, flipped classrooms, and student-centered learning. Investigate free resources that will help you take those first steps as a classroom teacher, school administrator, department head, or district leader. Walk away with amazing resources, wonderful connections, a wealth of new knowledge, and the desire to learn even more. Most of all, build the knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion necessary for you to take that next step.  

$W121 | Beyond PBL, STEM, and STEAM … Dewey Meets Technology and Standards
Monday, January 28, 2019 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Venue: Orange County Convention Center
Room: NORTH 220F  

Discover how the process of PBL connects to STEM, how STEM goes beyond the initials of its content, and how the verbs of STEM bring action to the content and standards. Together we will examine these educational movements through ideas from Dewey. Michael, a facilitator at the National STEM Academy in Washington, D.C., a STEM/PBL Facilitator for BIE, and a STEMBL workshop designer for Discovery, will share with you a multitude of Dewey-able ideas! Learn about great resources as you take a tour of websites promoting STEM.

$W158 | Harnessing Technology to Support Standards and Provide Authentic Learning
Monday, January 28, 2019 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Venue: Orange County Convention Center
Room: SOUTH 330B

Are you ready to promote important curriculum standards and 21st century skills while taking your school devices forward and going full throttle? Learn how examining a standard can help promote real learning and go beyond the shine of technology. You will explore a multitude of free and open source content just ready for your students to use. You will also find a multitude of ways to teach and assess 21st century skills while also learning about web resources to expand SAMR, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Webb’s Deeper Learning. Best of all, you will learn how technology and the important standards and skills can put your students at the center of learning.

$W188 | Taking Students Deeper in Inquiry … Spiraling Questions and Answers
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Venue: Orange County Convention Center
Room: SOUTH 331B

Uncovering information through inquiry is essential. Before students perform a search, it is important that they have good questions; after all, it is good questions that lead to answers. Better yet, answers lead to deeper questions. It’s more than a cycle; it’s an inquiry spiral! Learn techniques and employ technology that will engage today’s student to inquire and question with skill, develop and use today’s pre-search technologies, and engage in self-regulated research and evaluation. Best of all, walk away with free resources and tools in order to further sustain the learning process. (Mike was featured regarding informational searches using Google advanced search techniques by Alan November in his latest book, “Who Owns the Learning? Preparing Students for Success in the Digital Age.”)

C094 | Computation Thinking Across the Curriculum: Students Thinking for Solutions
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM
Venue: Orange County Convention Center
Room: NORTH 220C

Learn how computational thinking can be part of every subject at every grade level. Discover practical methods and reasons as to why students need to focus on inquiry and employ critical thinking to come up with their own answers while posing new questions. Find out how computational thinking supports the process behind student coding and STEM learning activities. Discover ways that this can facilitate STEAM, PBL, and inquiry-based learning. You will learn about different programs and walk away with resources you can use tomorrow. Best of all you will learn how to engage your students in a style of thinking that promotes deeper, connected, and authentic learning that promotes the necessary 21st century skills. 

cross-posted at 21centuryedtech.wordpress.com

Michael Gorman oversees one-to-one laptop programs and digital professional development for Southwest Allen County Schools near Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is a consultant for Discovery Education, ISTE, My Big Campus, and November Learning and is on the National Faculty for The Buck Institute for Education. His awards include district Teacher of the Year, Indiana STEM Educator of the Year and Microsoft’s 365 Global Education Hero. Read more at21centuryedtech.wordpress.com.

I am excited and honored to be presenting at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC 2019) in Orlando, Florida this January 27th through 30th.

I always look forward to an opportunity to see old friends, make new friends, share some ideas, and learn so many new things from others.

Below is a list of sessions I will be presenting at FETC 2019, along with any associated resources. Please feel free to join me for any of these sessions. I look forward to sharing, learning, and chatting with you! 

Hipster Google: Tools You Have Probably Never Heard Of 

• Session Code: $W286
• Sunday, January 27, 2019
• 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
• Venue: Orange County Convention Center
• Room: NORTH 320AB + Corridor
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/hipster
• Session Description: Everyone knows about Google Docs, Gmail, Search, and other common Google tools. But there are also loads of smaller, lesser-known, but powerful tools. Learn about hidden gems such as nGram, Trends, Web Fonts, AutoDraw, Tour Builder, Toontastic, Canned Responses, Smarty Pins, Poly, Office Editing, Reverse Image Search, Instant Search Cards, Mystery Animal, Science Journal, Semantris, Grasshopper, Art Palette, and more (list subject to change based on how cool and unknown the tools remain). You’ll leave with a much larger tool box than when you walked in the door.

Fantastic Feedback Tools for Google Docs

• Session Code: $W292
• Monday, January 28, 2019
• 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Venue: Orange County Convention Center
• Room: NORTH 320AB + Corridor
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/docsfeedback
• Session Description: As educators, we are always looking for better ways to connect with our students, especially when providing feedback on their work. In this session, we will explore four fantastic tools to provide feedback that is more detailed, engaging, and personal. Tools will include Google Doc text comments, voice comments with Read&Write for Google, video feedback with Screencastify, and natural handwriting feedback with the Google Classroom mobile app.

Literacy Activities With Google Docs

• Session Code: $W170
• Monday, January 28, 2019
• 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
• Venue: Orange County Convention Center
• Room: NORTH 220E
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/docslit
• Session Description: Looking for ways to techify your literacy activities? In this session, we will explore several engaging hands-on literacy activities that use features built right into Google Docs. These will include improving reading comprehension with Google Docs "Black Out," writing interactive "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories in Docs, summarization skills with the word count tool, and fun ways to use emojis in Docs for reading and writing.

Awesome Activities With Google Drawings in Your Classroom

• Session Code: $W182
• Tuesday, January 29, 2019
• 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Venue: Orange County Convention Center
• Room: SOUTH 330D
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/drawings
• Session Description: Google Drawings is part of the Drive suite of tools but is often overlooked. However it is a fantastic program for student learning and teacher instruction. In this session, we will cover the basics of how Drawings works, and then we will look at dozens of practical examples of how it can be used in schools, including graphic organizers, math manipulatives, desktop publishing, interactive digital posters, drag-and-drop poetry, and more.

Google Tools for Struggling Students

• Session Code: C066
• Tuesday, January 29, 2019
• 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
• Venue: Orange County Convention Center
• Room: NORTH 320CD + Corridor
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/sped
• Session Description: There are many tools, apps, extensions, and features available for Google Chrome to assist struggling learners and students with special needs. This can include students with vision or hearing impairments or challenges with reading, writing, organization, and more. Learn what tools are available and how to access and use these with students.

Google Tour Builder for Any Subject

• Session Code: C140
• Tuesday, January 29, 2019
• 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM
• Venue: Orange County Convention Center
• Room: NORTH 320CD + Corridor
• Session Resources: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/maps
• Session Description: Google's Tour Builder is an easy-to-use but powerful tool for students to create virtual tours, including locations, images, videos, descriptions, hyperlinks, and more. These tours can be used in any subject area, such as retelling the events from a novel, tracing the locations of a historical event, visiting different biomes or landforms around the world, and more. Tours can be viewed by others in Tour Builder or even imported into Google Earth for a full 3D experience. Learn how you and your students can make and take virtual tours with Google Tour Builder.

 Connect with Me

I would love to stay connected with you after the conference. Please feel free to connect with me in any of the ways listed below:

Email: ericcurts@gmail.com
Twitter: @ericcurts
YouTube: www.youtube.com/ericcurts
Website: www.controlaltachieve.com  

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Eric Curts is an education trainer and consultant with over 20 years' experience throughout the U.S. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and a Google Certified Innovator. Read his blog at www.controlaltachieve.com and follow him on Google+ and @ericcurts on Twitter.

The National Future of Education Technology Conference® (FETC®) announced 55 exhibiting companies who will introduce a total of 65 new products at the 39th annual event, January 27-30, 2019 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The conference Expo Hall will feature more than 450 exhibiting companies presenting solutions in virtual and augmented reality, robotics, device management, digital content, assessment and much more. The new technologies that will be shared with attendees highlight cutting-edge innovations that address some of the most important challenges facing educators, schools and districts globally.

The new products being introduced at FETC feature solutions to help schools manage class rosters, security, devices and networks; improve the after school pick-up process; teach social-emotional skills, media literacy, English language arts, STEM and coding; support students’ mental health and well-being; enhance grading, engagement and communication; and much more. The following exhibitors will introduce their new products at FETC 2019:

Aerohive Networks
Booth 357
Aerohive Networks® will showcase the recently-introduced cloud management deployment option for its A3 Secure Access Management Solution. The new microservices-based cloud management delivers flexibility, scalability and resilience to A3 Secure Access Management (SAM) for corporate, BYOD, guest and IoT client device onboarding, authentication and control, another way Aerohive keeps schools' data secure from outside threats.

AmEnglish.com
Booth 2309
AmEnglish.com has introduced a new HTML5 version of all three volumes of Idioms in English for Young Adults. Each volume covers 100 idioms (including phrasal verbs) in 220 interactive lessons with stories using the idioms in context, audio featuring four different native speakers and definitions, examples and pronunciation notes for each idiom. The program is available as a computer lab license, classroom license with LMS tracking or a school license with LMS tracking.

The company has also announced the release of Read Aloud eBooks with the following adaptive assessment features: poems about animals in the same meter as The Cat in the Hat, reading grade levels from 1 – 6, and Teacher Guides and Parent Guides in English and Spanish. Read Aloud eBooks engage all readers and offer support for early readers and ELLs with word highlighting in sync with the audio, rhymes reinforcing vowel and consonant sounds, and LMS tracking.

AVer Information
Booth 207
AVer Information has announced the launch of its latest document camera and two new charging solutions: the M17-13M Document Camera, X30i Charging Solution and X42i Charging Solution. Educators can create an interactive learning experience with the camera and support any learning environment the new charging solutions. FETC attendees will be the first to see and demo these products.

B.E. Publishing
Booth 343
B.E. Publishing will showcase brand-new versions of EduTyping and its Microsoft Office Specialist series. B.E. Publishing offers a full suite of computer applications resources, teaching students everything from proper typing techniques to passing Certiport's MOS Certification Exams.

Bark
Booth 1743
Bark will demonstrate its expanded offering, including free onboarding and support with a dedicated school safety manager. Bark proactively alerts school administrators to issues detected in school-issued student email, chat, documents and cloud storage. It is free for all K-12 schools in the U.S. and monitors students’ school accounts at no cost, both during and after school.  

BenTek
Booth 641
BenTek will release features in 2019 that continue to enhance the user experience. Release highlights include customized plan comparison tools empowering employees to make educated decisions about their healthcare choices, along with giving administrators the ability to support their employees remotely by utilizing a new enrollment impersonation tool.  

bulb Digital Portfolios
Booth 2931
bulb Digital Portfolios, a tool used by students and educators for modern, lifelong learning, has announced the release of their iOS app, allowing users to create and share work from a mobile device. Exclusive to the native app is their new premium feature, a multimodal screen capture, which allows a user to screen capture video of themselves drawing or annotating an image while narrating their process simultaneously.

Bytes of Learning
Booth 355
Bytes of Learning will introduce UltraKey Online build 198 with Content Management, which allows districts, schools, teachers and family managers to use their own typing practice and test material, and to assign selected content to students. Content Management complements the powerful administration and learning management tools previously released in the product series.

Carnegie Learning
Booth 2115
Carnegie Learning will introduce LiveLab, a new product for teachers using MATHia software, designed to help teachers make the most of their limited time with students. Based on artificial intelligence and machine learning research, LiveLab illuminates each student’s progress through math concepts in real-time so teachers can guide, intervene and coach effectively. Indicators and alerts help teachers assist struggling students and recognize students when they hit milestones.

ClassroomSync
Booth 2607V
ClassroomSync will demonstrate its software that enables teachers to monitor students’ personal device activity within a secure platform. It eliminates distractions while allowing student access to an array of sub-apps that can be used for subjects from Art Appreciation to Calculus II. ClassroomSync also reduces the need for school-owned physical devices, such as calculators, computers and textbooks, allowing those funds to be used elsewhere.  

codeSpark
Booth 2607D
codeSpark Academy has announced a new and improved Teacher Dashboard, enabling educators to manage classrooms, track student progress, download lesson plans, set up devices and more. Teachers can get started with codeSpark’s video library of webinars, engaging online professional development and easy login with Clever. codeSpark Academy is free for teachers, librarians, and nonprofit organizations.

Codesters
Booth 352
Codesters is introducing new code-powered math and science labs, enabling schools to integrate Python coding directly into middle-grade core subjects. Students demonstrate deeper learning of academic content through capstone math and science coding projects. This ready-to-use learning platform transitions students to text-based coding while providing teachers with the training and execution resources they need to incorporate 21st-century skills into their classrooms.

CommonLit
Booth 1749
CommonLit will introduce its Interim Assessments, through which district leaders can easily track student progress and identify areas for improvement. CommonLit's Interim Assessments are available for grades 3-12 and are aligned to the Language Arts Florida Standards and the FSA.

Crosscutting Concepts
Booth 954
Crosscutting Concepts has announced FACES 4.0 EDU, which lets students create billions of different human faces with point-and-click selection from a rich database of facial features. With the help of IQB's software, classrooms will come alive. This builds upon students’ ability to solve the murder mystery of Lyle and Louise, a focus of popular Crosscutting Concepts products.  

CrossFlight Sky Solutions
Booth 2740
CrossFlight Sky Solutions will introduce its semester-long High School Drone Technology curriculum, set for release in the upcoming school year. The e-learning interactive curriculum introduces students to this growing technology and allows them to advance toward an FAA Commercial Drone Pilot Certification.

CurbSmart
Booth 2114
CurbSmart will showcase its technology for complex tracking of students and after-school activities, including a new check-in feature for parents. The technology replaces walkie-talkies, bullhorns, overhead PA systems, and confusing manual rosters and release locations, helping schools ensure the safe release of students.  

Custom Educational Furnishings
Booth 2319
Custom Educational Furnishings (CEF) will introduce the IDEA Island, the newest addition to the award-winning Ed Table line. The creation of the IDEA Island was inspired by the many makers in school systems across the nation that are dedicated to inspiring creativity and discovery in children. The IDEA Island combines industrial design with warm wood, strength and innovation.

Dremel
Booth 2419
Dremel will demonstrate the 3D40 FLEX 3D Printer, which offers a variety of new features, including a flexible build plate to make it easier to remove parts after printing. To accommodate more users, the 3D40 FLEX prints 30 percent faster in draft mode, ideal for environments, such as the classroom, that require quick turnaround. The printer also features 50 micron resolution capabilities to better print intricate, detailed designs.

Eduporium
Booth 1451
Eduporium has announced new robotics options, added to its online STEM and Educational Technology Tools webstore. Among the new offerings are the NAO Robot V6, Root early education robot and BOLT robot from Sphero. Using these technologies, students can develop key 21st century skills, including coding, computational thinking, and problem solving.

EQtainment
Booth 2643
EQtainment has announced the launch of a new home version of Q Wunder, the social-emotional learning (SEL) program serving Pre-K to 3rd grade students.  The home backpack includes videos, games, music and a breathing buddy. The lessons cover 15 SEL topics and are CASEL and GLAD aligned to support classroom learning at home, complete with a parent instructions and content for non-English speaking families.

FireFly Computers
Booth 748
FireFly Computers will introduce FireFly Smart Repair, a reimagined way for schools to repair and maintain devices. It provides schools with the convenience of a warranty, but users only pay for the repairs they use. Smart Repair doesn’t require tracking serial numbers and the cause of breakage doesn’t matter.

GoGuardian
Booth 131
GoGuardian will introduce Beacon, a suicide prevention tool, built with mental health experts, to help schools proactively identify students at risk of suicide or self-harm. By combining real-time scans powered by a proprietary machine-learning engine, Beacon is the only tool able to monitor every activity happening across students’ devices in real-time, providing parents and educators with immediate and actionable information reflecting student needs.

Gravic, Inc.
Booth 2142
Gravic will be introducing two new products, Remark Test Grading Cloud 2.1 and Remark OMR 10.1. The enhanced Remark Test Grading Cloud application includes a full test designer with question text, answer labels and images to create more customized tests, while the new version of Remark Office OMR allows users to scan their own plain copy paper tests and other forms with any imaging device and run grade and assessment reports with the click of a button.

Higher Ground Gear
Booth 1237
Higher Ground Gear will introduce Datakeeper 2.0, a new budget “work-from-the-case” solution. Datakeeper 2.0 is the full package on a small budget, ensuring that users never need to remove the device from the case and an integrated pocket.

Hitachi America, Ltd.
Booth 1057
Hitachi America will showcase the MP-WU5603 3LCD laser light source projector, featuring 6,000 ANSI lumens, WUXGA 1920 x 1200 resolution and up to 50,000 hours of low maintenance operation using Long Life 2 mode. Additionally, advanced features include HDBaseT, Lens Shift and Perfect Fit for easy setup, Cloning Function for copying setting data from one projector to another and Auto Power On for quick start up.

HoverCam
Booth 1119
HoverCam will introduce three new products: the Ultra 10 document camera, Pilot X and ClassFusion. Ultra 10 features wireless 4K streaming to any display and an enhanced 10.1-inch touchscreen, ideal for remote learning. Users can connect a display, IFP, or projector without a PC. A super-speed USB 3.0 port easily records lessons straight to a PC or Mac and a 13-megapixel lens captures vibrant images and live video in up to 4K clarity and full HD video recording.

Pilot X is a portable and fully integrated wireless digital teaching station featuring a 13-inch, 10-point-touch tablet that allows for work from the podium or use as a hand-held tablet for collaboration opportunities. Its wireless HDMI transmitter beams content to any IFP, projector, or TV in resolutions up to 4K. Other features include lesson capture with ClassFusion software, interactive whiteboarding, annotation, and desktop marking.

ClassFusion is a comprehensive software for 21st century classrooms. Designed for wireless and interactive collaboration in a multidevice ecosystem, it integrates a presentation system and learning management system. It features dynamic lesson and notes capture, lesson-plan builder with access to a database of over four million resources matched to curriculum, space-saving vector-based lesson recording to the cloud, online homework submission and student messaging, and more.

Impero Software
Booth 1354
Impero Software is introducing Impero EdAware, a digital safeguarding system providing schools with a holistic view of students’ wellbeing and potential safety concerns. Impero EdAware records, analyzes and stores multiple types of student safety information to help identify potential safety risks and enable informed counseling sessions, behavior management conversations and safeguarding interventions. It integrates with the Impero EdProtect module (part of the Impero Education Pro suite).

Jupiter Ed
Booth 411
Jupiter Ed has announced a premium product, Jupiter iO Prime, advancing the company’s commitment to remain on the cutting edge of gradebook and LMS technology. Jupiter Ed now offers the most up-to-date services that include online enrollment, forms, tuition management, online payments and more.

KinderLab Robotics
Booth 2214
KinderLab Robotics will introduce its Progressive Curriculum Guide for the KIBO robot, which starts the youngest children on a pathway of creative coding and robotics. The comprehensive new K-2 KIBO curriculum guide is a progressive curriculum packed with 60 sequenced hours of research-backed, standards-aligned lesson plans in coding, computational thinking and engineering design. FETC attendees will be the first to see the guide.

Kinful
Booth 856
Kinful, a social-emotional learning program powered by student-created virtual reality (VR), will introduce a new version of its VR video editing software: 360 VS Pro Studio. Now, students will be able to not only film their own VR videos, but stitch and edit them as well. In doing so, students will be fully producing their own VR content.

Lightspeed Systems
Booth 1138
Lightspeed Systems has announced Safety Check, a revolutionary school safety feature in Lightspeed’s filtering and monitoring software solution, Relay. Safety Check is an AI-powered tool for identifying high-risk student behaviors online, helping schools prevent school violence, self-harm, bullying and more. With actionable information in the form of shareable trend reports and real-time alerts, Safety Check is saving lives in schools across the country.

ManyCam
Booth 1405
ManyCam has introduced a new video call feature, which allows teachers, broadcasters and video chatters the ability to invite guests to their live broadcast. Guests will be able to join the broadcast using a disposable URL in their web browser, eliminating the need to download any software. This allows teachers to invite multiple guest speakers from worldwide to help give presentations to their students.

MathBRIX
Booth 2607P
MathBRIX has announced the official launch of MathBRIX@School, a cloud-based adaptive learning platform for K-2 classrooms with home access. MathBRIX creates multi-sensory digital games that teach young students how to think mathematically and problem-solve, helping learners move from concrete experience to abstract problem-solving.

MERGE
Booth 1931
MERGE will announce MERGE EDU, a new AR/VR app platform for active learning, and will showcase its award-winning AR/VR Headset, MERGE Cube, and Miniverse content portal. Also new for 2019 is the MERGE Cube’s integration with Tinkercad, CoSpaces EDU and Microsoft Windows 10 compatible MERGE Cube apps.

News Literacy Project
Booth 1600
This spring, News Literacy Project is adding a new feature, called News-to-Classroom, to its Checkology® virtual classroom. The Newsroom-to-Classroom function will give teachers access to a searchable database of journalist volunteers―trained to engage students on topics ranging from bias to journalistic standards to misinformation―in-person or via video-conference, allowing premium users of the platform to arrange live news literacy conversations with journalists from across the country

NoteAffect
Booth 2607L
NoteAffect has announced its educational software with a special focus on teacher-student engagement, using students’ digital devices to deliver unprecedented analytics. The software app uses built-in polling and quizzes to improve engagement and knowledge retention, while providing professors and administrators with analytics to make data-driven decisions to improve student satisfaction and success.

OverDrive Education
Booth 638
OverDrive Education is introducing the full version of Sora, the engaging, personalized reading app that will get students reading more. Previously available in beta, Sora allows students to enjoy easy on-boarding, a simple, one-tap step to borrow and start reading, and automatic syncing across devices. Readers can access more titles with connection to the local public library collection. Sora also offers personalization and IEP support with audiobooks, dyslexic font, enlarged text and Read-Alongs.

Ozobot
Booth 2731
Ozobot will introduce the Evo Educator Entry Kit, which comes with everything K–12 educators need to bring coding and STEAM to their classrooms, including an Ozobot Evo, Educator Bot Camp with one-hour training in Ozobot’s 2 Ways to Code, and more. Entry Kits put educators first, empowering them to enroll and experience Ozobot Edu for themselves before graduating to a Classroom Kit for all their students.

PatentDive
Booth 2649
PatentDive will showcase PatentDive Educator, the first patent-based STEM curriculum. Wages in patent-based industries are 73 percent higher and growing, and PatentDive Educator is designed to make patent knowledge accessible to everyone. Educator is a project-based, hands-on curriculum that helps students develop collaboration skills and internalize STEM fundamentals while learning about the patent process.

PerfectCoaches
Booth 2607M
PerfectCoaches will introduce its PerfectCoaches App for Educators. PerfectCoaches is a scientifically designed approach to behavioral change. Assisted by artificial intelligence, virtual motivation coaches communicate every day with students as they master clearly defined skills and habits. The easy-to-use app helps youth understand why they are developing each habit, apply it to their goals and practice it every day.

PikMyKid
Booth 3036
PikMyKid will showcase the integrated PikMyKid School Safety Platform. PikMyKid’s dismissal automation is now integrated seamlessly with Kidio's SAFER Emergency Alert System and tip line. The cloud-based platform reduces liability and enhances student and staff safety while mitigating traffic around schools.

Project Lead The Way
Booth 2541
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) will showcase its Launch (PreK-5) and Gateway (6-8) programs, which will now be available in English and Spanish in 2019-20, providing an opportunity for ELLs to access a transformative classroom experience that prepares them with the knowledge and skills to be successful in college, careers and beyond.

Rosen Classroom
Booth 810
Rosen Classroom will introduce the Rosen-LightSail Content Builder, which allows educators to import their own content (PDFs, Google Docs and webpages) to be instantly evaluated by Metametrics to assign a Lexile measurement and apply the optional Cloze assessment.  Educators can use leveled content to create lessons, units and projects, as well as embed multiple choice, open response and polls to appear as students read. The program’s reports provide educators, students and parents with real-time data to track progress.

SAFARI Montage
Booth 413
SAFARI Montage will introduce two new products: the OneRoster integrated lesson management tools and Hybrid Cloud solution.

SchoolBzz
Booth 2607C
SchoolBzz has launched its new solution to streamline how schools share information with their families, replacing teacher websites, reducing email and eliminating messaging apps. It provides educators with a personalized dashboard to easily manage communications for the front office, classes, teams or clubs they lead. For parents, SchoolBzz aggregates relevant news in one feed along with easy access to assignments, resources and staff profiles.

SchoolPHONES.com
Booth 2148
SchoolPHONES.com will introduce two new products: Lab Partner ChatSET and BK series SchoolPHONES. Lab Partner ChatSET's proprietary aural feedback circuitry means students hear their own voice naturally as they speak, providing an important and often overlooked component to computer-based language education.  Students speak more clearly, yet softer, and learn faster.

The BK series SchoolPHONES are for “Big Kids” in middle and senior high school. These are headphones that offer the same high quality and performance schools have come to expect from the K-6 series of SchoolPHONES.

SilverShield Safety and Information Systems
Booth 706
SilverShield will introduce two new products: the HR and Safety Resource Center, as well as the Kiosk System. The SilverShield HR and Safety Resource Center empowers schools to publish their Security Assessments and Plans on a shared platform for their staff to review, allowing for quizzes to be administered, ensuring staff has mastered their role in the plan. For schools without a Security Assessment or Plan, the Safety and Resource Center offers connections to Security Consultants to help them put one in place.

SilverShield Kiosk enables self-registration at unmanned entry points via ID scan or manual entry. SSKiosk then notifies a Kiosk Monitor of the check-in, allowing them to grant access, or deny if the details match any watchlists. If a match is identified, the Kiosk Monitor may initiate silent notifications to specified recipients or trigger additional alarms, so that organizations can secure manned or unmanned entry points.

STEM MINDS
Booth 2607Z
STEM MINDS Corp. has announced the launch of the STEM MINDS Online Academy, coming in February 2019. FETC attendees can see the platform before the official pilot launch.

TeachLogic
Booth 557
TeachLogic® will showcase its upgraded classroom audio systems, with a wireless security alert feature that’s always within reach of teachers. Using their lanyard-worn microphone as a transmitter, teachers press the button for four seconds; the microphone then sends a signal through the amplifier, which triggers the existing school security system using its unique “pulse code.” TeachLogic systems integrate with all major intercom system brands.

Terrapin
Booth 1008
Terrapin will showcase the Wireless Easi-Scope digital microscope, which magnifies up to 50 times and turns young students into junior scientists.  Students can roam while using Easi-Scope to transmit and record magnified images to any WiFi-enabled device. With its egg-shaped design, the wireless Easi-Scope is easy for young students to use while motivating them to inquire and explore.  

The Product Connection Group
Booth 2048
The Product Connection Group will showcase its iPad and Chromebook organizer pouches, created to save time, effort and frustration for 1-to-1 districts by keeping devices and accessories in one place. Pouches can be issued with devices to help prevent the loss of accessories, protect school assets and make it easier to track inventory of iPads, Chromebooks and their related accessories.

Tools4ever
Booth 1248
Tools4ever will introduce HelloID, a cloud-based access management solution that requires a single login for users to access their customized dashboard from a tablet, Chromebook or web browser. HelloID enables users to request access to applications or folders and subfolders via the online portal. Data owners can then approve or deny this access.

Virtucom, Inc.
Booth 3037
Virtucom will showcase its new data management and analytic solutions. These analytic tools are designed to guide leadership and effective digital transformation usage in the learning process. Districts can partner with Virtucom and PAPERbasket to protect, maximize and cultivate their investments in students and communities.

Wyebot
Booth 2607B
Wyebot will showcase its Wireless Intelligence Platform (WIP) with an enhanced SaaS solution that adds a comprehensive suite of network tests and historical client forensics, making the Wyebot WIP the only WiFi solution on the market that has all three features required for today’s wireless networks: AI based problem solution identification, historical client forensics, and network tests. Wyebot WIP is a vendor agnostic WiFi assurance solution that monitors, analyzes and optimizes a wireless network, saving up to 90 percent in mean time to resolution, reducing WiFi problem tickets by more than 50 percent and remote site visits by up to 80 percent using features such as client forensics and network tests.

Zyrobotics
Booth 906
Zyrobotics will showcase Tommy the Robot, which has an accessible interface that enables kids of all ages and abilities to use commands, sequences, and loops to make it move, dance, and sing on-screen. In challenge mode, children can test their coding abilities by solving the Tommy the Robot challenges with his friends. In the play mode, Zyrobotics offers a board game that pits the child’s skill against additional challenges offered in its curriculum.

FETC 2019 will include more than 600 diverse learning opportunities, including more than 175 intensive workshops and 425 targeted sessions in five updated program tracks: Future of Ed Tech Educator, Future of Ed Tech Administrator, Future of Ed Tech Information Technology, Future of Ed Tech Inclusion & Special Education and Future of Ed Tech Early Learning. FETC’s industry-leading expo will give attendees the opportunity to learn more about these 65 new products, and will also include an Early Learning Pavilion, Game Based Learning Pavilion and Hands-On Technology Lab.

Registration is still open for the 2019 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227. 

Verso Learning, provider of classroom feedback and collaboration tools, will be showcasing their education tools at this year’s upcoming FETC conference.

In its latest update, Verso has added a new feature designed to collect student-to-teacher feedback at the end of a lesson to enable formative assessment. Exit Tickets elicit student responses to questions related to a lesson or activity and provide the teacher with immediate feedback on the extent to which their students have understood a learning intention, what strategies were most effective in the lesson, and how the students felt about their learning. 

Verso also enables teachers, coaches, and mentors to share insights and provide structured feedback for other teachers. Teachers build lessons using Verso’s lesson builder, then use feedback from  those sources to refine and improve their pedagogical approach and lesson designs. 

At FETC, Phil Stubbs, Verso’s director of  education, will be presenting two sessions about how this cycle of feedback gives students ownership over their own learning:

Using Vocabulary to Design the Journey from Surface to Deep, a collaborative workshop demonstrating research-based strategies for transferring ownership of learning from teacher to student and developing deeper connections to learning

Collaborative Classrooms: Surface to Deep in 50 Minutes, focused on simple strategies to more fully engage students in their own learning. 

The National Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) announced 29 exhibiting companies who will introduce a total of 32 new products at the 38th annual event, January 23 – 26, 2018 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

The following 29 exhibitors will be unveiling a total of 32 new products at FETC 2018:

Afinia 3D

Booth 858

Afinia 3D will be introducing two new products at FETC. The first is the Dobot Magician 4-Axis Robotic Arm. The Dobot can manipulate objects, write and draw, and 3D print. It has a graphical programming environment, multiple tool heads, and the capability to work with the Arduino platform.

The second new product is the new Emblaser 2 Laser Cutter-Engraver, featuring a large work area, fan-powered exhaust, and air-assist cutting, powered by a laser diode.

Alive Studios

Booth 1453

Alive Studios will introduce their My Letters Alive Student Journals, which will help early learners master the 26 letters of the English alphabet.

Bretford Manufacturing, Inc.

Booth 1135

Bretford will be introducing Juice™ Mobile Power, which turns a single wall outlet into a flexible mobile charging solution, providing safe DC charging for an entire classroom.

ByteSpeed

Booth 254

ByteSpeed will introduce the VR Cart which moves educational VR setups from one classroom to another without the hassle of a new setup and calibration of the learning space.

Capit Learning

Booth 2011H

Capit Learning will introduce their Chrome-enabled version of CAPIT Reading, which delivers a competency-based digital phonics curriculum, with actionable student data in literacy sub-skills.

E4Effort

Booth 2011J

E4Effort is used to measure and report student effort in four categories. Students earn badges and "Effort Shares" that they track on their student portal. The E4Effort System supports PBIS and compliments standards-based grading.

ELB Education

Booth 2221

ELB Education will introduce two new products at FETC. The first is the Prowise Proline+ Series of interactive flat panels, which have 4K/UHD resolution, 20 points of touch, a built-in sound bar, new writing technology (ProWrite Ink), and an industry-leading seven-year warranty.

The second new product is the Prowise rolling Asset Charge & Storage (rACS) cart which provides a secure place to store and charge up to 36 Chromebooks or other personal devices.

FuzePlay

Booth 1455

FuzePlay will introduce Zubi Flyer, a smart toy that combines physical play and online learning in a fun and simple way.

iBenzer

Booth 552

iBenzer® will introduce Hexpact™, a Macbook® shield with the ability to dissipate the force of impact.

Inquire

Booth 2512

Inquire will introduce Inquire IQ3, a multimedia recording and streaming management system designed to facilitate 504 meetings, disciplinary hearings, teacher and student evaluations, and more.

LocknCharge

Booth 452

LocknCharge will introduce the Putnam 16 Charging Station, designed in collaboration with Putnam City Schools in Oklahoma to support their digital learning initiatives.

Nutri-Link Technologies

Booth 2012

Nutri-Link Technologies will introduce Curb-Smart, a solution to make the daily pick-up process easier, less frustrating, and more secure for schools.

Orange Neurosciences

Booth 2011C

Orange Neurosciences will introduce ReadON, a SaaS-based cognitive platform for people with Learning Differences (PwLD) and Dyslexia.

Padcaster

Booth 2319

Padcaster will introduce the brand new Padcaster Verse, a universal smartphone mount, designed to adjust for any smartphone.

PASCO

Booth 2344

PASCO will introduce two new products at FETC. The first is the Wireless Colorimeter with Turbidity Sensor, the latest addition to PASCO’s affordable wireless sensor line. It measures absorbance and transmittance at 6 different wavelengths (ROYGBV) and measures the concentration of a solution.

The second new product is the Wireless Weather Sensor with GPS, an all-in-one instrument with up to 17 different measurements for investigating environmental conditions.

PikMyKid

Booth 1546

PikMyKid will introduce SAFER (School Alarm For Emergency Response) a smartphone application, that can be activated by any teacher, staff member, or the administration. All individuals in the group are instantly notified and proper protocols are pushed to every member’s device.

Promethean

Booth 110 and 114

Promethean will be introducing a new product that will be unveiled today.

Root Robotics

Booth 635

Root will introduce its educational robot,which allows coders of any age or skill level to use Root as their creative tool to draw artwork, scan creations, play music, respond to touch and color, or use its other abilities, such as climbing walls.

Scantron

Booth 2352

Scantron will introduce Ascensus, which provides a modern approach to digital assessment designed for the era of ESSA. Ascensus includes innovative item types, interactive student tools, accommodations for students with special needs, collaborative test development, modernized item banking, and increased test security options.

SilverShield

Booth 2413

SilverShield will introduce its visitor management system. Key features include: instant sexual offender check, optional criminal background check, lockdown system with 911 silent alarm, customizable watch list, ID badges, and virtual academy.

SMART Technologies

Booth 523, M1

SMART Technologies will introduce the new 86” SMART Board® 7000 series. This is the company’s flagship model and the only interactive display in education that supports simultaneous multi-user collaboration.

Tech Defenders

Booth 558

Tech Defenders will introduce eduDEVICES, a service that allows schools to purchase refurbished devices (including Chromebooks, MacBooks, and more) in bulk for an affordable price.

Texthelp

Booth 1044

Texthelp will introduce EquatIO®, a software solution that enables students to create digital equations, formulas, and more on their computer. This new tool is free for teachers to use.

TippyTalk

Booth 2011F

TippyTalk will be introducing a new product that will be unveiled today.

Tools4ever

Booth 246

Tools4Ever will introduce ERAM, which provides insight into unstructured data and Active Directory group memberships. ERAM clearly shows who has access and how they obtained it, who should have access, who owns the data, who has tried to access it, and where sensitive information is stored.

VS America

Booth 1553

VS America will introduce the TriUnion Table, available in three heights (34 5/8, 41 3Ž4, 47 1Ž4 inches). The stand-at table is light and easy to move.

Weird Enough Productions

Booth 2011L

Weird Enough Productions will introduce Get Media L.I.T., which uses superheroes and comic books to teach students how to combat fake news.

Wibbu

Booth 1254

Wibbu will introduce Ruby Rei: School Edition, an immersive ELL experience that exposes students to learning through engaging stories, exciting gameplay, and instructional activities.

Zyrobotics

Booth 2006

Zyrobotics will introduce STEM Storiez – Robot Play, an interactive book that exposes children to the amazing world of robots. .

Attendees to the conference can learn about more new technologies by visiting the Startup Pavilion, located in the Expo Hall, where they can discover emerging companies, demo original products, and meet the entrepreneurs whose innovation is changing the marketplace. Educators can also attend the FETC Pitchfest competition, where the best-of-the-best startups nominated by industry accelerators will present their products and solutions.

For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227. Learn more at www.fetc.org/expo.

In one of dozens of sessions being offered @FETC in Orlando this week was a session from T&L advisors Leo Brehm (@leobrehm) and Andrew Wallace (@AndrewTWallace) called “Integrated Learning Ecosystem,” which they described as a “canvas,” where school leaders can create a thoughtful design process for accelerating personalized learning that gives educators insight on how to integrate IT systems seamlessly to deliver the right combination of digital content, collaborative tools and online learning environments. They name three core components to building a culture of next generation learning:

• Growth/Change Mindset: Your community of learning must be a community of constant change. Change and failure are a norm along with food at meetings.
• Good Teaming and Support: The learning community must be supportive from the top down. Psychological safety is a community norm.
• Question Centric Curriculum and Professional Development: Good Analytics answer the right questions at the time needed. The questions will always change or evolve.

Omnicharge announced today it will be exhibiting at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) in the Orange County Convention Center at booth #1447. During this conference, Omnicharge will have some of its key products on display including its on-the-go portable chargers Omni AC, Omni 20, Omni 20 USB-C and Omni Power Station.

“In addition to being able to charge any device at any time for free, the Omni SmartCenter provides organizations with a detailed analysis of inventory and session lengths as well as automating late fee charges,” says Gavin Gray, Director of Software Platform and Services, Omnicharge

Visitors to Omnicharge's booth #1447 can enter a 3pm daily chance to win an Omni 20 charger.

To learn more about Omnicharge visit booth #1447 or www.omnicharge.co.

Here we go! This week officially marks a new season of edtech shows and Tech&Learning will be on the scene. The world’s largest edtech showcase BETT18 launches this Wednesday at the ExCel Center in London. At the same time, FETC will be stepping off in Orlando, FL. Each event has a long slate of presenters and exhibitors prepared to showcase the latest tools and techniques you can expect to see in classrooms soon. Be sure to follow @techlearning on Twitter to get live coverage of each!

The National Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) has announced the nine schools named finalists for the 2018 STEM Excellence Awards. FETC will introduce the finalists and unveil the winner at its 38th annual conference, to take place January 23-26, 2018, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The three finalists at each level—elementary, middle, and high school—will present their successful approaches to STEM education to FETC attendees and the winner will be formally announced on Friday, January 26, at the FETC STEM Excellence Awards Ceremony on the Keynote Stage.

The nine schools recognized as 2018 STEM Excellence Awards finalists are:

Elementary School Division

• Buck Lake Elementary, Leon County Schools, Tallahassee, Fla.
• Union Elementary STEM and Demonstration School, Sumner County School District, Gallatin, Tenn.
• Liberty Elementary School, Loudon County Public Schools, South Riding, Va.

Middle School Division

• Christ the King Catholic School, Diocese of St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Harpeth Hall School, private college preparatory school, Nashville, Tenn.
• Washington Middle School, El Dorado Public Schools, El Dorado, Ark.

High School Division

• Lanier High School, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Sugar Hill, Ga.
• Commonwealth Academy, independent preparatory school, Alexandria, Va.
• All Saints Academy, independent preparatory school, Lakeland, Fla.

Registration is open for the 2018 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227.